


Chance Meeting

by BeaBee_7



Series: Chance Meeting [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Comedy, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Pre-Canon, Qrowin - Freeform, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2019-07-03 05:25:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 83,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15812307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeaBee_7/pseuds/BeaBee_7
Summary: Formerly known as: "Our Little Journey".This is a slice of life drabbles/short stories on the relationship between Qrow and Winter in "chronical" order.*Note: Smut content starting from Chapter 17 and onwards





	1. Are you Lost?

Qrow scowled, tilting his head in annoyance at the tall buildings in front of him. Atlas Academy has gotten bigger since the last time he visited old Headmaster James Ironwood. The newer buildings were sleek and modern with large clear glass windows and black trimming. It was professional and cold, but luckily the students were lively compared to the off-putting architecture. Which was all well and dandy, but Qrow was facing a tiny issue. 

He has no idea where Ironwood's office was located since it moved from the South Building last year. 

How fucking annoying. 

If there were two things that Qrow hated was last minute meetings and lack of information. He had to drop everything yesterday to fly here for a meeting with Ironwood and, now, the old military general forgot to tell him where his office was at. 

Qrow refused to call the Headmaster for directions like a simpleton. He'll find it himself. Eventually. And if he was late, it was the General's fault. 

"Are you lost?" A clear, refined voice asked and Qrow turned to face the owner of it. 

His eyes widened by a fraction, momentarily taken aback by the student that stood before him. Normally, Atlas's normally grey and dreary uniform would cause even a grimm to yawn. However, the manner in which she held herself made it seem she was wearing the most expensive fabrics in Remanent. Shoulders back. Head held evenly. A steady gaze.

Then again, it might be her. 

A delicate looking face with large, blue eyes, and long hair, white like fresh snow, pulled up high and tied with a red ribbon. If he had known there would be cool beauties such as her at Atlas he would have studied here instead of Beacon when he was a teen. 

"Only in your eyes," he winked at her and she pivoted on her heels with the intention of walking away from him. "Wait! It was a joke," he chuckled, sauntering his way to her before she went too far away. "I am lost."

She turned back to him with a cold gaze that made him stumble. She perked an eyebrow after a few seconds. "Where are you heading to?"

Qrow straightened up, shaking off the strange flutters of feathers made by her smile. "Headmaster Ironwood's office." 

"Ah," she looked at the Main Building with a frown. "I will take you to the elevator, then. Headmaster Ironwood's office recently moved to the main building and giving you directions to get there might get you even more lost." She gestured for him to follow her and like a pup, he did. 

She led him inside the main building. The walls were tall and made out of grey bricks. Most of the office furniture was made of rich black wood and the scattered lounging chairs for students and visitors were either red or a deep navy blue. On the walls hung old paintings of past stuffy headmasters and landscapes of the land over the years. Students and professors walked about, but only a few.

"The Main Building was built almost a thousand years ago and used to be an old megaron for a lord; so, its layout is confusing and unorganized." 

"I'm surprised Jimmy didn't try to tear it down when he became a headmaster," Qrow said, trying to look around the interior of the grand building when they entered and not at the young woman in front of him, which was surprisingly hard to do. She looked like a senior, which would make her five to six years older than Yang, and if she was then that meant she was thirteen years younger than him. That meant when Yang was born he was nineteen and she was six.

He scowled. He should not be looking at her like this.  
  
"He tried."  
  
"Tried?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And he failed?" Qrow grinned.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How did that happen?"   
  
"I ran a campaign against it," she answered, looking over her shoulder at him. "The floor plan may be chaotic, but this building is part of Atlas' history and must be maintained, respected, and care for despite what the Headmaster believes. The student body agreed with me and so did many others."  
  
Qrow grinned wider, "I imagine he wasn't happy."  
  
"Oh, he was very displeased, especially with me, but what is displeasure of one man over the memories and significance of a thousand-year-old building," she said, stopping them in front of an elevator.  
  
Qrow leaned down to look into her eyes, putting his face mere inches from hers. She frowned and took a step back, causing him to smirk, "You look like the type who likes to argue."

"Oh, no. I dislike arguing," she said, and he felt a little disappointed until she spoke again. "But a healthy and hearty debate? That is another story." 

There was an arrogant twinge behind her smile that he almost missed and it sent excitement through him again.  "Huh, you don't say? Well, maybe next time when I'm back in town, we can play a round of debate."  
  
She looked him up and down once, making her assessment of him quick and final. "Maybe," she answered coolly, almost dismissively, and he hated to say it riled him up. "Take this elevator to the top floor. The room you will enter will be Ms. Nausicaa's office. She is the Headmaster's assistant. She can direct you to his office once you are there."  
  
"Guess our little adventure ends here," Qrow pressed the call button.  
  
"Seems so," she took a step back when the elevator arrived and opened. "Good day."  
  
Qrow entered the elevator and watched as the doors began to close and she turned away. "Wait," he called out to her. Qrow pushed the doors open again and held it there by force when it tried to close again. "Your name, Ice Queen. I didn't catch it."  
  
She walked towards him, her smile made her eyes soft, and she gently pushed him back into the elevator. The doors were closing again. "I never gave it to you," she said and the doors shut.  
  
He was already passing the third floor when his head stopped buzzing and he realized she never gave him her name. "That was cold, Ice Queen," he grinned, feeling better than when he arrived.   
  
When the elevator doors open again for the third time, he entered Ms. Nausicaa's office and was swiftly directed to Ironwood's office. "Jimmy," Qrow drawled when he ambled inside the office, "How's it going?"  
  
"Qrow," Ironwood looked surprised, "you're early...why?"  
  
"I can be punctual," Qrow looked around the office for a drink and found a whiskey bottle on the other side of the room. He grabbed the bottle and poured himself a hefty drink.   
  
"There's a first time for everything."  
  
"I just like to keep you guessing," Qrow pulled a chair and plopped down on it, propping his feet on the desk.   
  
"Please, don't." Ironwood sighed, sitting at his desk and shoving Qrow's feet off it. "Now, I got a report from - what is it?"  
  
Qrow was holding his hand up, causing Ironwood to stop. Ironwood frowned, irritated as Qrow took his time to take another swing from his drink and gaze out the window to the darkening skies. 

"I heard you wanted to demolish this building," Qrow said.  
  
"I did."  
  
"Why didn't you?"  
  
Ironwood sighed, unsure where this was going. "There's a student who was against it and she got the entire student body and major key players in the Board to side with her. While it was...inconvenient to my plans, her argument was strong and admirable, and after a while, I saw her side."   
  
"She sounds like fun," Qrow grinned wider and tilted his chair back, "What year is she?"  
  
"When she ran that campaign she was a sophomore. That was almost two years ago. She's a senior now."

“So, she’s twenty?”  
  
“Almost.”  
  
"Hm, and her name?"  
  
Ironwood gave a short chuckle, "You'll be surprised."  
  
"I love surprises."  
  
"Her name is Winter Schnee."  
  
"Schnee?" Qrow's chair slammed against the floor. "Schnee Dust Company. Schnee?"  
  
"Yes," Ironwood nodded.   
  
"What?"  
  
"I am in agreement. The head of the Schnee Dust Company is...vindictive."  
  
"More like a dumbass."  
  
"But his children are remarkable and show promise. If we play our cards right, I might say Miss Schnee will be a great ally to us one day. Not only is she the top of her class in her studies, but she also shows a lot of skills in combat and strategy; wonderful at public speaking and has a strong moral and ethical compass." Ironwood paused, "What brought this up?"  
  
"You didn't give me directions to your new office. I ran into her royal highness and she showed me how to get here, but little Miss Ice Queen didn't give me her name." Qrow grinned, "I was curious."  
  
"I see. I apologize for the lack of directions."   
  
"Nah, no need. Your fumble brought something interesting to my attention, after all."  
  
"Qrow."  
  
"Next time I'm here, I want her to be my escort."  
  
"Qrow" Ironwood said firmly, noticing the manner in which Qrow's eyes gleamed. "I won't allow you to fraternize with my students."  
  
"Who said anything about fraternizing? I just want a tour guide."  
  
"I will get Ms. Nausicaa to show you around."  
  
"With a pretty face and nice hips."  
  
"Qrow," Ironwood scowled.   
  
"So, what you called me up for. I'm a busy man, you know."


	2. Tour Guide

The conversation with her father did not go as planned.

Winter shut her eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before releasing it. She was taught that releasing her frustration in a violent manner would not bring a positive solution. Yet, the urge to scream and thrust her saber through the gymnasium’s wall lingered.

A chime came from her scroll, alerting her to a new agenda item added to her schedule. She swiped through her scroll until she reached her calendar and saw the dinner appointment for tomorrow night at the Blue Moon restaurant. She huffed and rolled her eyes. As if she had time to spend two hours enduring the meandering of a marketing heir because her father wanted to play matchmaker, again.

She brought her scroll to her lips, tapping it there in thought. Wondering how she would get out of the dinner without causing too much anger and frustration on her father's end.  
  
"Hey!"

Winter blinked, surveying the empty training field in front of her. The shouts continued and were slowly getting on her nerves. Who on Remnant was yelling so loudly and to whom?  
  
"Hey, Snow Queen, I'm talking to you!"  
  
Winter frowned and looked around the corner of the wall she was standing against, hiding her surprise when she saw the same tall man she helped two weeks waving at her. She made the choice to ignore him, looking straight ahead until he yelled her name loudly. His shout caused students to turn to look at them and she bristled. 

Brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she made her way to him. She stood before him, slightly annoyed that he was a head taller than her despite her wearing heels, and examined his clothing once before she perked an eyebrow at him.

"Need me to hold your hand and take you to Headmaster Ironwood’s office again?" 

"Nah, I know the way there now, but holding hands doesn't sound so bad," Qrow grinned and stuck his hand out. “The name’s Qrow.”

She glanced at his hand, "I am shocked that you want a proper introduction this time around, Mr. Branwen.”

"Oh, you know who I am?"  
  
"Sadly. Headmaster Ironwood mentioned that you might be looking for me the next time you visit. He also mentioned that you might be drunk."  
  
"Don’t listen to Jimmy, he’s a gossiper and likes to spoil my fun and, surprise on him, I am only slightly buzzed.”

“Slightly.” She was not convinced.  

"So? What's the name, Ice Queen?"

She glanced at his hand again that was still held out. Winter repressed her annoyed sigh and took his hand. "Winter Schnee."

She expected an average handshake between strangers, but Qrow drew her hand to his lips and planted a soft kiss on her fingers. Winter sharply took her hand back. The tops of her ears reddened only slightly but it was enough that he noticed. 

"What?" He was amused by glare, chuckling even as she regarded him wearily. "I thought someone from your social standing would be used to that kind of greeting."

"A ghastly introduction such as that is only made by desperate fools."

He laughed again and Winter wondered if what Ironwood said about Qrow was true. Despite his aloof appearance, he was, according to Ironwood, an important ally to Atlas and a highly skilled huntsman. Looking at him, he appeared to have strength, skill, and experience. However, so did many other huntsmen in the field. 

What made him different?

She paused and decided she didn't care. "Well, then. As there is nothing I can help you with, I will take my leave."

 She walked past him and he followed. "Oh, but I do need help.”  
  
“In what aspect?”  
  
“Tour guide.”  
  
Winter pivot swiftly on her heels, “If you need a tour guide, I am positive Headmaster Ironwood will gladly provide one to you.” 

“And he did.”

“Oh?”

“It’s you,” Qrow lied, keeping his snickering hidden when she accepted it without question.

“Oh,” Winter frowned and turned on her heels again. If Headmaster Ironwood appointed her, then she had no choice. Although, she had a few choice words to throw at the Headmaster later. “Well then, what would you like to see?” 

Qrow matched her strides and hummed, “How about your bedroom?”

Winter kicked the side of his foot and it caused him to trip. “The gardens in the back recently got new flowers for the season, we can start there.” Winter went on without looking back at him, missing the excited smirk he had as he rushed to walk beside her.

“We just met and you’re already plotting my death?”

“I would never. I merely want to pick the flowers for the occasion.”

They spent the day walking around Atlas Academy. Qrow barely listened to her explanations on the history of the Academy and, instead, focused more on the manner she spoke and moved. Her pronunciation was clear and curt. She naturally gravitated to his right and liked to keep one hand press against the small of her back. She seemed to glide across the campus instead of walk, a skill she gained from being the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. She never matched the speed of his steps, but when he purposely fell behind, she would stop to wait for him.

She greeted all the workers at the Academy politely by name and introduced him to the elderly gardener who worked at Atlas for close to fifty years. Throughout their three-hour tour that felt more like fifteen minutes to him, they argued the whole time. At some points, he riled her enough that she purposely made him stumble by either off balancing his steps with a swift nudge of her foot or using her semblance.

He fell once and her pleased laughter, as small and short-lived as it was, was worth the dirt smeared on his face. 

“We’ve reached the end, Mr. Branwen,” Winter said once they were in front of the Main Building again.

“Call me ‘Qrow,’” he said and she made a delicate hum, acknowledging his request but not entirely agreeing to it. “Mr. Branwen makes me feel old.”

“It is a title of...respect. After all, you are a teacher.”

“Was.”

“Was?”

“I haven’t been a teacher over three years now.”

“Any particular reason?”

“I wasn’t good at teaching.”

“Here I was hoping to catch a lecture of yours one day.”

“Hey, if it’s a lecture you want, I’ll be happy to give you one. Privately, of course,” he winked.

“Do you make that kind of offer to every student that crosses your path?”

“No, but I’ll make an exception for you.”

“Your lectures sound inappropriate.”

“That's one reason why I'm not a teacher anymore,” Qrow said, watching as the sun made long shadows across the campus, and he felt a slight pang of discomfort at the thought of parting with her. “You're sure there isn’t anything else you can show me?”

“Yes,” Winter frowned. 

“How about the gym?”  
  
“I already took you there and you broke two practice dolls.”  
  
“Is there a library?” 

“Yes, and you were practically falling asleep when we were in there.”

“Hm, how about the dining hall?”  
  
“After pushing a student’s face in mash potatoes; why on Remnant do you want to go back there? Unless you want to get scolded by Mr. Sol again.” 

“It made you laugh.”

“It was a small huff of a chuckle, at most, and a mere fluke,” Winter retorted.

He grinned at her dismissively response and wanted to provoke her even more. For the past three hours, he didn’t think about work or responsibilities. He was entirely focused on her and that sharp tongue of hers that kept him on his toes, the subtle shift of emotions on her face, the flash of heat behind her cool eyes. He liked it even more when her entire composure cracked and her ears turn red.

She brought a sense of calmness that he rarely felt.

Comfort.

“Oh, I know what I still need to see.” 

“And what’s that?” 

Qrow leaned down so his words caressed her cheeks, “Your bedroom, Ice Queen.” He then slid to the right to avoid Ironwood’s strike. 

“What did I say, Qrow!” Ironwood growled.

“To not fraternize with your students?”

“And?!" 

“I don’t listen to you,” Qrow smirked, avoiding another strike from Ironwood. “Calm down, old man. All she did was give me a tour of your grand ol' campus.”

“I told you if you wanted a tour guide, I would assign you one.”

“Yeah, and you would give me a boring old bat.”

“Miss Schnee,” Ironwood turned to the blinking heiress.

“Yes, Headmaster?”

“Did he do anything to you?” 

“Besides wasting my time, no.”

“I’ll get straight to the point next time, then,” Qrow shot another wink at her.

“No,” Ironwood pointed his weapon at Qrow, appearing to be more of an older brother protecting his younger sister than a well-respected general and headmaster. “Winter, do not get near this man again.”

“Hey,” Qrow sauntered his way to them. “That’s not nice. I just wanted to know more about Atlas’ rising star. Like you mentioned the other day, we might be allies one day.”

“No,” Ironwood pushed Qrow towards the main building. “I don’t care what Ozpin said but we are going to have a serious discussion about this, Qrow.”

“Yeah. Yeah,” Qrow looked over his shoulder and saluted Winter as he was taken away. “See you around, Winter.”

Winter watched silently as they entered the building. Her hand pressed against her back and her face slowly got warmed. “Fool,” she hissed and calmly stormed to her dorm room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! 
> 
> So, basically, my headcanon is that Winter and Qrow don't hate each other - or more like, Winter doesn't hate him. She just finds him annoying, at first. Anyways, I feel that Qrow and Winter aren't the types to just hate another person simply because they're rigid/reckless/composed/mannerless, or that both are heartless/soulless/loveless characters since they both have shown to care for others. I'm hoping to add additional dimensions to the characters. 
> 
> P.S. I do plan to make a prequel to the fight in Brawl in the Family that explains why they fought and a sequel. Anyways, thanks for reading!


	3. Gold Claws

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RWAL is pronounced as "royal".

“Nice of you to join us, Qrow.” Glynda crossed her arms, her foot still tapping on the floor as Qrow strode into Ozpin’s office.

“There was traffic,” he said, taking a swing from his flask.

Ozpin smiled but said nothing regarding the manner of his tardiness. “Shall we begin, then? Ironwood.”

The Atlas Headmaster glanced at Qrow. “From my last report with Team RWAL, they have successfully infiltrated the Gold Claws settlement, acting as merchants from Vale.” 

“The Gold Claws?” Qrow stopped ambling around Ozpin’s office. The Gold Claws were a small group of 20 highly skilled hunters, all were trained to be huntsmen and huntresses, and instead of using their newfound skills for good, they committed crimes and were known for the slaughtering of two towns in Vale. “Why are we looking into them?”

“We believe they might have ties with the White Fang,” Ironwood answered. “When we first got word of their interaction with them a week ago, I sent a huntsman with a senior team from Atlas to look into it. The huntsman abandoned the students in combat, however.”

“He did what?” Glynda hissed.

“He is being looked for by Atlas’ police force as we speak.” 

“What about the students?” Ozpin asked.

“I spoke with them last night when this occurred. Team RWAL decided to continue with the mission as they were already inside of the settlement. Additionally, the information they reported was damning enough that I felt it was necessary to call a meeting to hear their next report together.”

“What information is that?”

“The Gold Claws are collecting a large amount of dust and are in search for the Summer Maiden. Their suspicion as to where she is located…is close to the truth.”

“What time are they calling in?”

“In a minute,” Ironwood said. There was a chime and a hologram of three students appeared. All dressed as merchants, and the two girls were dressed like men. There was a moment when Ironwood’s eyes narrowed. “Rust. Alma. Leith. Where is your final teammate?” Ironwood asked.

“There has been an incident,” one of the girls said, taking her hoodie off. “Leith River,” the girl said, introducing herself to them.

“What might that be?” Ozpin asked.

There was silence until Ironwood demanded that Rust, the leader of team RWAL, report what happened. However, it was Alma, a short brunette girl with green eyes that spoke, “In the early morning, there was a failure on the changing of the watch post.” 

“Now is not the time to leave out details,” Ironwood scowled.

Alma sighed, “Rust failed to take his shift at the northbound watch post, causing Leith to remain in that position. She was spotted by a Gold Claw member and was taken to their camp. When I went to take over the shift later that morning, I was ambushed and taken, too.”

Ironwood glared at Rust, “What happened?” 

“He was drunk, sir,” Leith reported.

“How are you two here, then?” Glynda asked. “Where is Miss Schnee.”

Qrow jerked his head to the hologram, stepping closer.

“I told her what happened when she came to take over for her shift,” Rust admitted, “She wanted to go get them. I told her she couldn’t and, in the end, she went to look for them. I watched from the trees. The Gold Claws’ leader has a thing for women, especially since it’s part of his business, and notice Winter was a woman despite her disguise – not that that was surprising. Nothing about Winter’s looks scream male.”

“Rust,” Ironwood warned.

“She was surrounded before she knew it,” Rust went on. “Leonotis, the leader, brought Alma and Leith out, saying he’ll make a deal with us if she wanted to save them. Alma and Leith for Winter.”

“What did you do?” Qrow snarled.

“Nothing,” Rust snapped, “It was Winter! She agreed to it. I was in the trees!”

“They let us go in exchange for Winter,” Alma continued, “They threw us out of the settlement, warning that they will kill her if we show our faces again.”

“How long ago was this?” Ozpin asked.

“Less than an hour ago,” Alma answered.

"Why wasn't this reported immediately afterward?" Ironwood asked and the two girls looked at Rust. "We'll talk later, Rust."

"Yes, sir."

“Qrow,” Ozpin looked over at him, “How fast do you think you can travel to Evergreen forest?”

“Two hours.”

“Get going, then.”

~o~o~o~o~

Qrow landed in front of the three Atlas Students, surprising them all. “I’m here to save you.” Qrow pointed to Rust, “I don’t want to hear a word from you, though.”

The Atlas students nodded and collected their things. “We settled in the west,” Alma spoke as they traveled towards the settlement, “it might be better to scale the walls on the south. The terrain is rougher there and less patrolled compared to the other sides.”

Qrow huffed, “And here I was hoping to knock on the front door.”

The Evergreen forest was abundant in wildlife with a few grimms lurking around. As they made their way around the Gold Claws’ settlement, Qrow frowned at the lack of security. Leith made a comment on it; surprised that all the watchmen from earlier were gone in addition to the border guards when they scaled the tall wall.

Qrow jumped over, leading the three students inside. He surveyed the camp and lifted an eyebrow at them. They made their way around one of the houses towards the main living quarter of Leonotis, the Gold Claws’ leader, when they saw scattered unconscious bodies.

“What?”

“We swear it wasn’t like this three hours ago,” Rust held his hands up.

“Didn’t I say I didn’t want to hear a word from you?”

There were muffled yelling from the Leonotis’ cabin. They all took their weapons out and the students jumped in surprised when Leonotis was thrown out of the doors with two other men.

“You…who are you?” One of the men demanded, standing up with their weapons pointing at the inside of the cabin.

“Insolent brat! I will make you grovel for this!” Leonotis shouted, struggling to stand with his hands pressed against the bleeding wound on his stomach.

Winter walked out of the hut wearing an indecently short skirt and a loose bralette that was more jewels and beads than fabric. She was barefooted and her normally up kept hair was loose. She did not spare a glance at Qrow and her teammates as she walked towards Leonotis.

“Schnee women do not grovel,” she said, her demeanor stoic and cool. Two glyphs appeared on the ground behind her and two beowolves ripped out from them, they were shades of white and grey and snarled at the Gold Claws members. “Eat,” she said and the beowolves sprinted towards them.

Winter formed a glyph in her hand, summoning a bow and arrow. She pulled the arrow back, took her aim, and hit Leonotis when he tried to escape. The arrow embedded in his leg, pinning him to the ground. As she walked towards the leader, one of the guards sprinted to attack her but Winter made a glyph under him, halting his movements and making him vulnerable to the beowolf. Winter pulled the arrow out of Leonotis’ leg, it evaporated in her hands in a white mist. She blocked his strike and bent his arm behind his back, immobilizing him.

“I despise repeating myself,” Winter seethed, forcing him up and towards the closed storage house to the right of them. “Now, open the door unless you want to be fed to the beowolf.”

Leonotis touched the door and turned to Winter, surprised by the sword she was pointing at his neck. “I’ll open this door, but only if you’ll let me go. Deal?”

Winter regarded him and said, once more to her utter annoyance, “Open the door.”

“Okay,” Leonotis nodded and used his semblance to unlock the large door, prying it open. There was silence. The beowolves were gone as the two guards were now defeated. Leonotis took a step back. “I’ll be going then,” the robust man nearly sneered at her, “But, I know we’ll meet again.”

Leonotis took another step back and turned around, facing Qrow and the Atlas students, and began to run towards the exit. He was about to pass Qrow when Winter spoke.

“I never agreed to your deal.”

“What?”

“You heard the lady,” Qrow lifted his arm and Leonotis ran into Qrow’s palm. Qrow pushed forward and smacked Leonotis down to the ground. “Time’s up, Munchkin.”

“We’re here to help you,” Winter said loud and clear towards the dark void of the storage room, “You’re safe. Please, come out.”

From the shadows appeared a tiny child, dressed similar to Winter but with more fabric, less jewels, and covered in dirt. She was skinny and appeared to be weak, and she wasn’t alone. Another girl appeared behind her, holding her hand up to block the sun, and then another and another. Winter watched as they left the small storage room until all thirty-one kidnapped girls and women were standing outside in the sun, crying and cheering at being free.

They called Ironwood and two Atlas ships hovered above the settlement two hours later. Huntsmen, huntresses, and medics were crawling over the site, collecting evidence and helping the victims. Winter stood to the side wearing Qrow’s cape. She refused the blanket they offered her just in case someone else needed. There was a shuffle next to her and she looked up at Qrow, she noticed how much taller he was now that she wasn’t wearing heels.

“Purposely getting you team leader drunk to get caught by the Gold Claws to save a fleet of women from being sold into slavery is not an easy feat. And that’s not including you also single handily dismantling the Gold Claws and retrieving the information Ozpin and Ironwood needed.” Qrow looked at her, “If you’re trying to impress me, it worked.”

“Attempting to impress you would be similar to impressing a boar. So, why would you think I would want to?”

“Because I’m devilishly handsome.”

“Standards have been lowered as of late,” Winter glanced up at him and the mirth behind her eyes made him grin wider.

“So, what tipped you off?” He gestured to the empty storage house.

“I read some of the reports they had.”

“You weren’t supposed to read those.”

“I was not supposed to dismantle the Gold Claws either.”

Qrow pressed his hand to her back and led her towards a ship that was waiting for them, “Come on, Ice Queen. Let’s get you some real clothes and food before Ironwood chews us out. Though, I have to say, being able to see the sides of your breasts is-”

Winter smacked Qrow in the stomach and continued walking to the airship.


	4. It's a Party

A grand party was taking place at the Schnee Manor.  Jacque Schnee wanted to celebrate and show alliance to the mayor of Altas who announced his run for re-election. The clinking of wine glasses, the strong odor of perfume and cologne mixing with rich food was making Winter nauseous, but behind her practiced smile, no one was able to notice. Everyone at her father’s party continued to gossip and laugh, oblivious to the heiress who hated what they represented, what she represented. 

Thankfully, Winter was able to convenience her father to let Weiss go to bed early, Whitely was too young to be present, and her mother refused to attend the party entirely. So, she was on her own. The marketing heir she got dinner with last time was here and sulking near the center of the room. She refused his proposal last night. He was an idiot if he thought she would accept marriage to someone she met a month ago and barely knew. Nevertheless, her father already found another suitor for her that was eager to marry into the Schnee name like him.

Taking a last sip of champagne, she left her glass on a table and left the party to go to the gardens where there were fewer people. The night was bright and the air cool. Fairy lights scattered throughout the garden and there was a man playing the piano in the corner. She made her way to the pathway to take a walk and think. She started her senior year and she was going to have to make a decision about her future soon. Her father laid a path out for her filled with political marriage and company growth. Her mother presented another; one where she could run away from everything and be who she wanted to be. But, abandoning the Schnee name meant leaving her younger sister and bother vulnerable to their father’s scheme. Ironwood had mentioned the Atlesian military, but she could not bear the thought of having more rules and regulations thrust upon her. There was a moment where she thought about becoming a huntress and helping people, but her father already demonstrated how far his influence and pockets could reach if she picked that path.

How troublesome.

She found a bench under the west gazebo that was far from the party. It was completely empty and she sighed in relief. Letting the stone mask she carried crack. A lone lantern guided her as she sat and leaned far back, relaxing for once knowing that no one was watching her. There was a flutter and she looked to her left. Smiling, she sat up and lifted her hand for the white and blue bird to land on her finger.

“What are you doing here, Gerda?” Winter asked the small bird, patting its head gently. Gerda tweeted and hopped up Winter’s arm until it settled on her shoulder. “You should be sleeping.”

Gerda was the bird her father gave to her last year for her birthday. Tiny little Gerda in her cage made of gold. Winter was insulted by the gift and set the bird free soon after. Klein, the family bulter, told her that the bird was domesticated and would have a hard time surviving out in the wilderness. Winter began to leave seeds out for Gerda and even made Klein promise to do so as well when she was away.

“And look at you,” Winter smiled, “doing just fine. Klein told me you had some children while I was at the Academy. Please introduce them to me.”

There was a squawk from behind that surprised her. She turned to the sound and found a red-eyed crow staring at her, jerking its head side-to-side. Winter lifted a brow and Gerda flew away in fright.

She sighed, “Look at what you have done.” She stood up, looking up at the sky to see Gerda disappearing into the trees. “You cannot eat her,” Winter told the crow and it squawked again. Winter reached out to stroke its head, wondering why she had the habit of attracting birds. “I have never seen you here before. Well, a word of advice. Tread lightly with Kone, our gardener. Father does not like crows and makes Kone shoot at them. Though Kone always misses.”

She heard a shout from the party and then another that sounded like her name.

“They are looking for me,” Winter sat back down. "How unfortunate." 

The crow squawked and flew away. A quill of sadness was produced in her chest and ached when it left, leaving Winter alone under the dim light of the lantern to be found. She was used to the dark creature that was loneliness. Constantly lingering in the back of her mind and making appearances on her mother’s face and, recently, on Weiss’, too.

The shouts were getting louder and it was clearly her name. She knew it was her father sending Klein or some other staff member to look for her. It couldn’t be anyone else. She had no friends, finding it hard to open up to others. She wasn’t close to her teammates even more so once they disbanded soon after the fall of the Gold Claws. Rust dropped out of Atlas. Alma was getting married and was moving to Mistral. Leith joined a new team.

Winter did not make any protest when each of them left.

It was their choice and she wanted them to be happy.

She fought better alone anyways. She couldn’t count the number of times Ironwood lectured her for going rogue on missions. Maybe that was why it was easy to watch her team separate.

“It is better to be alone.”

“Depends on who you ask.” The gravel voice of Qrow Branwen surprised her but it did not show on her face. She watched as he ascended the few steps of the gazebo and lean against a column. “How’s it going, Ice Queen? And don’t lie.”

“As expected,” Winter answered carefully. “How are you?”

“Eh, kind of cold, but that’s Atlas for you. Though, seeing you warms my heart,” he said, and the frown produced on her face made him smile, “Mind if I join you?”

“If you must.”

“Here,” Qrow handed her his jacket as he sat down next to her, spreading his leg far enough that it hit her own. “You look cold.”

She was tempted to reject it but the floor-length dress with its long train she wore did nothing to keep the chill away. Besides being made from a thin, royal blue fabric with trimming of heavy gold embellishment on the edges, her back and arms were bare and the neckline was low. Winter frowned at the jacket. It was black and slightly wrinkled, but when she put it on, it was warm and smelled of him, sandalwood and the spice from a rich whiskey. 

“Thank you.”

“How’s the party?”

“As expected.”

“The food?”

“As expected,” she said once more.

“Hm, how about the company?”

Winter looked over at him. She suddenly reached over to push the hair falling against his forehead back, allowing her to see his eyes better. “Unexpected. Why are you here?”

“Ironwood invited me to be his plus one, but I promise you, it isn’t a date. He’s too tall and male for my taste, but you on the other hand,” He wagged his eyebrows and Winter pushed his face away from hers.

“You have no concept of personal space, do you?”

“I do, I just like being in yours.”

“You are intolerable.”

“You say that, but one kiss from me and black ice won’t be the only thing you’ll be falling for.”

Winter paused and assessed him for a moment, “What a presumptuous statement.”

“Want to prove me wrong?”

Winter was unsure on how to react but before she could come up with a stable sentence, the shouts of her name were getting louder and closer.

“They’re looking for you,” Qrow tugged on one of her loose strands of hair.

“So it seems,” she took the strand of hair back.

“How about we get out of here?” Qrow stood up and offered his hand to her.

Winter set her gaze on him, studied him for a moment and the hand that he stretched out to her. He wasn't dressed properly for the party, wearing a black suit from last spring, a red tie that was knotted sloppily, and he wasn’t announced to her and her father when Ironwood arrived.

If anything, she was sure he crashed the party.

“If I go with you, they will assume I have been taken.”

“I always wanted to steal an heiress.”

“Where do you intend to take me?”

“Does it matter?”

Winter took a hold of his hand, “No.”

With ease, they ran through the gardens and away from the party. She picked up her dress to prevent the hem from snagging on branches and bushes they passed by. Sneaking behind the guards, Qrow picked her up and jumped over the fence to get on the main streets of Atlas. He led her by the hand down a few alleyways until they were far enough. He only let go of her hand once they arrived at a café, but he placed his hand on her back and led her inside.

His hand was rough, she noticed. While hers had some calluses, they were smoothed and cared for by beauticians. His wasn’t. His were course and jagged, rough in some areas and then smooth like scars in others. He was different than what she was used to, to the people she was around. He was not polished or refined. His short, black unkempt hair was in a need of a trim and he constantly had stubble, she wondered if he even owned a razor. His eyes, however, were expressive in a manner she never knew was possible. He spoke brashly and crass, insulting anyone he wanted, but underneath all of that, he was nice and honest.

He was a good man, something she rarely saw in her world of riches and luxury.

Winter looked around the café, becoming aware that she was extremely overdressed when the few people in there stared at her, but they all glanced away the moment their eyes met. The café smelled of coffee and lavender. The fireplace was crackling and made it comfortably warm. Winter took a few steps in before Qrow directed her to the counter.

“Get whatever you want, it’ll be my treat.”

“How chivalrous of you.”

"Are you insulting me?"

"Perhaps."

Winter stepped forward to order black tea with a chocolate pastry. Qrow ordered coffee, black, and paid, telling her to pick a place to sit. Winter looked behind her, there were a group of men staring at her, but she paid no heed to them and made her way to the corner of the café, next to the large windows facing the streets.

“You know, your family should hire better guards. Never know what kind of thief will sneak in and steal something, especially with a treasure like you walking around,” Qrow placed her croissant in front of her alongside her tea before seating down with his coffee in hand.

She gave him a cool look before accepting her tea, “It wouldn’t matter since I willingly ran off with one.”

“Is that a habit of yours or am I just a special case?”

“I like your company,” she admitted and took a sip from her tea.

“That’s a first,” Qrow gave a snort and she perked an eyebrow at him, “My semblance is misfortunate and I have the habit of bringing misfortunate to others. So, most people don’t like having me around.”

“Ah…you are a bad luck charm, then?”

Qrow frowned but the humor behind her eyes made him huff, “I guess.”

"How charming," Winter studied him, studied the somber notes on his expression. “Sadly, I do not believe in luck.”

“You don’t?”

“It is all perspective, in my opinion,” she skimmed the rim of her cup with her finger, “But if I did believe...I would say you having the misfortunate of getting lost that day was what brought me to you. Would you consider that bad luck?”

“Meeting you?”

Winter gave a small nod, drinking from her tea again.

Qrow studied her, amazed that she once again made wings flutter in his chest. He grinned, “No. I feel pretty lucky to meet someone that’s easy to mess with.”

“See. Perspective,” Winter pursed her lips, not taking his bait.

“I like having you around, too,” He said, taking a sip of his coffee. He was pleased with the red that appeared on the tips of ears.

“Is that why you lied about me being your tour guide?”

He chuckled, “Yup, and you believed me.”

“With the manner Ozpin praised you, I felt I had no need to believe that you would lie to me.”

“That’s a lot of trust in someone you just met.”

“I will be vigilant of you from now on, then,” Winter set her tea down, smiling softly at him and it rammed an arrow through his heart.

“You should," he said, taking a drink from his coffee. "Ironwood told me what happened to your team.”

“Is that so.”

“You okay with that?”

“I am,” she admitted after a moment. “I am told that teammates kind of…click together. That really did not happen with my team. We worked well together, we even won at last year’s Vytal Festival but…we are all used to faking relationships because of our backgrounds, and we did the same thing when we became a team.”  
  
“You don’t need to do that.”  
  
“Do what?”  
  
“Pretending to be nice or interested in someone. The people you will meet from now on, you have the choice to form a relationship with them, if you like. Professional, platonic, familial,” he paused and looked into her eyes, “romantic.”

Her cheeks were dusted in pink this time and she refused to acknowledge it. She brought her cup to her lips to hide it. “I will take that in mind,” she said.

Qrow leaned back in his chair, resisting the urge to reach for her hand and touch her cheek. “You can start with me."

“What are you insinuating?”

“What kind of relationship do you want with me?” He smirked, “and don’t lie.”

Winter looked at him carefully, “I am not too sure. As I aminexperiencede in this, I wish to wait until the night is over to make my decision.”

Qrow gave a short chuckle, “I’ll have to impress, then.”

“And I am not easy to impress,” she warned.

They finished their drinks and Winter split her pastry with Qrow after he made a pitiful whine of being hungry. They walked down the streets of central Atlas, Winter had been missing from her father’s party for three hours now and she had no intention in heading back yet. When it was close to midnight, they came across an arcade.

The neon lights, the shuttering rings of points going off and the lively laughter of people caused Qrow to drag Winter inside. Again, Winter received stares because of the manner she was dressed but when she set her eyes on the House of Grimms, her attention was entirely focused on beating Qrow and getting first place.

The match of destroying the most grimms with their plastic guns became a little too intense. They shoved and insulted each other to get ahead. Winter pushed Qrow into the small crowd surrounding them and he wrapped his arm around her head to blind her. At the end, they both got first and second place on the scored board with Winter beating Qrow by four points.

They played more games. Qrow won her a small stuff bird and while she adored it, she made a comment that it was a shame that he couldn’t win her something bigger. Qrow frowned, insulted that she would assume that he couldn’t, and won a large stuff bear for her. The large bear with its red bowtie was given away to a little girl who was eyeing it in Winter’s arm. They both didn’t care that much, and honestly, Winter was more pleased with the little stuffed finch bird he won for her.

They left the arcade at three in the morning when it was closing, and she took them to grab porgies from a food vendor that was open twenty-four hours before they began their journey to the Schnee Manor. The night was colder. Their cheeks hurt from smiling and their hearts were warm, surprising them both for different reasons. Nearing her home, she saw the large peaks of the rooftops beyond the trees. There were still lights on and cars littering out of the driveway.

“How much trouble are you going to be in?”

“I would not worry. They will only be extremely upset if I ran away to get marry to some farmer.”

“You sure?”

“If I had to repeat the night…I would be happy to run away with you again.”

Ah, there she goes making his heart race.

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to disappoint, then. The night is still young and I think I saw a chapel in the city. I’m sure we can get hitch real quick.”

“Oh? Why should I marry you?”

“Because I have a high threshold for pain, I'm good at making pancakes, I have a well-respected reputation of a huntsman that could use…some polishing.”

“Some polishing?”

“Some.”

“Is that all?”

“Well, besides that and making father dearest mad, I bet I can make you happy,” Qrow admitted, “So, what do you say in running away with me permanently?”

Winter stayed still for a moment. A car passed by them, another guest leaving her father’s party, and the lights from the street lamp made him almost seem angelic. She smiled when a shout interrupted them. Turning around, they saw Ironwood marching up to them with a scowl.

“Qrow,” Ironwood nearly growled. “After forcing yourself to come with me to the Schnee’s banquet, I cannot believe you left immediately and took Winter with you.”

“Why are you surprised? I told you that was my plan on the way here.”

“I thought you were joking!”

“I never joke,” Qrow threw back.

“You joke all the time!”

“Winter,” a cool voice seeped into Qrow and Ironwood’s discussion. An older woman stood at the entrance of the gate to the Schnee’s mansion, her white hair in a neat braid and her hand held out. “Come now.”

“Yes, Mother,” Winter said and turned back to Qrow with a soft smile. “Thank you. I had fun.” She gave a modest curtsy to Ironwood, “Thank you for attending, Headmaster. I hope you had a wonderful time.” Winter turned and walked up to her mother. They both wave politely at the huntsmen and headed inside.

Qrow rubbed his chest, feeling a twinge of pain as he watched Winter return to her father’s manor, watched as the relax manner in which she was walking throughout the night with him become rigid and firm, the softness in her face hardened.

She didn’t belong there.

“You…have shitty timing, Jimmy.” Qrow muttered, walking away from the Atlas headmaster.

“Wh-what? Where are you going?”

“To get a drink,” Qrow shouted back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this and thank you to Grace Makalu for leaving a comment! I have 7 chapters (I know) already lined up and typed, but I will write one in mind with your request! Thank you again for reading.


	5. Place Your Bets

Qrow blinked owlishly and rubbed his chin in surprise. He examined the situation he was in. He was visiting Winter for the fourth time this month, requesting missions in Atlas much to Ironwood's annoyance and Ozpin's amusement. They were in the park at Atlas Academy after class hours when he noticed Winter was frequently looking at her scroll, answering messages and emails from her father. She explained it had to do with some visiting Duke that wanted to take her out for dinner. Although he knew she does not particularly want to go on a date with some rich and spoiled duke, it stilled peeved him.

So, he took Winter's scroll from her.

At first, she rolled her eyes and asked for it back and he pretended to hand it back twice. Each time she reached for it, he whipped it away from her grasp. Then, he raised it high above his head as she glared at him.

She called him a child and demanded it back.

He told her to take it.

For some reason, he thought she would jump to get it as Yang and Ruby did. While she was older and much taller than his nieces, and slightly taller than the average women, Winter Schnee was still inches shorter than him. Instead, she quickly landed a steady hit on the back of his knee that caused his leg to buckle. She then yanked the scroll from him with a triumphant smirk.

There was something about the haughty look that got him nodding, annoyed that he did not read her movements. So, he slapped her hand up and stole her scroll again but she quickly got it back by hitting his inner elbow, tapping his chin to stun him, and swiping it out of his hand.

Qrow was personally insulted.

He had more than ten years of professional huntsman experience and it should not be difficult for him to outsmart a student. He unhooked his weapon and stabbed it in the ground. Winter perked an eyebrow, amused, and did the same with her saber. The scroll was the prize and it swapped between then at least ten times until he smacked it into the air and kicked it to the side.

"Qrow!" Winter exclaimed in shock at the harsh sound of the scroll hitting the ground.

"It landed on the grass, it should be fine," Qrow stood up from where she flipped him onto his back, rubbing his chin where she gave him a quick hit.

"You do not even sound a bit remorseful."

"Is it broken?" He asked.

She picked it up and examined it, "No."

"See," Qrow marched up to her and took her phone away again. "Ee're not done playing yet."

"I do not intend to use my scroll as a prize anymore," Winter took it back.

"Okay. Fair enough. Then how about this," Qrow took the scroll once again much to her irritation and tossed it near her saber. "Let's have a bet."

"Why are you invested in fighting me?" she asked.

"Simple," he stepped close to her, the aroma of her perfume, lilies and delicate musk, soothed the slight throbbing on his chin, "I want to know why I can't read your attacks. It's pissing me off."

“I am just better than you," she tilted her head up, noticing the short distance between them. "What are we betting."

"Three hits," Qrow stated with three fingers up, "I land three hits on you and I get a kiss."

Winter blinked, “A…a kiss?”

“Yes.”

“From who?”

“From you,” he nearly growled.

“From me?”

“Yes. Unless you don’t want me to kiss you, but I think there’s a small, little crevice in that cold heart of yours that does want a kiss from me.” His eyes slid shut, and when he bent down to press his lips against hers, she stepped back.

She narrowed her eyes at him, her ears burning red. “Fine. Is that really all you want?"

"Yup, unless you're going to give it to me now. I can think of something else more…daring"

"Hm," Winter circled him like a predator, "and if I win?"

Qrow grinned, "What do you want?"

"What can you offer?"

“How about lunch?”

“I am not hungry.”

“I’ll take you out.”

“We are already outside.”

“A date,” he clarified.

“Today is the twenty-fifth.”

“Winter,” Qrow stopped her circling, “you know what I meant.”

“I want something better than that.”

Qrow’s heart thundered, “What then?”

Winter smirked; her eyes gleamed in excitement, “Verbal confirmation that I am better than you.” She perked an eyebrow at his loud, disappointed sigh. “What? Were you expecting something entirely different?”

“Yes.”

“Hm, what a shame. Anyways,” She went on, not caring about his scowl, “I want you to say the following: ‘Winter Schnee is an outstanding huntress, infinitely better than me, Qrow Branwen, and I am an utter fool with a bad sense of style.’”

Qrow stepped forward and hissed, “You take that back.”

“I will if you win,” Winter said, hands on her hips. “Are we in accord?”

“We are,” Qrow shook her hand and pulled her forward, aiming a swift hit to her side but Winter countered, blocked, and he felt a solid hit on his leg. Qrow frowned, stunned that she was fast but grinned at the challenge. “Okay. Let’s get started.”

“We already started!”

They met in another flurry of attacks, turning and twisting like a flame dancing in the wind. Qrow recognized her fighting style. It was the rigid training of the Atlas military, firm and straight strikes aimed at his vital points; focused more on impairment than conquest. A fighting style that was easy to read, predictable, but she added extra steps. Instead of continuing with a strike after a block, she would take a step beside him and attempt to aim a hit out of his range. She would avoid attacks by getting into his blind stops. Her steps were light and contained the quality of a dancer.

More than once, she caught him off-guard. Thankfully, he was able to adapt to her change and met her unexpected attacks with his owns. He hit her side and stomach, making it two to one until she swiped his feet underneath him, and gave a solid kick to his chest.

Qrow rolled and flipped back onto his feet, avoiding her second kick. “That was unexpected. Next one to land a hit is the winner…unless you want to call it off.”

“I did not take you as a coward.”

“I was just trying to give you a way out.” Qrow smirked, “But I know you’re desperate for me to kiss you.”

Winter charged forward, launching a series of kicks and punches that he all blocked and avoided. The air around them was getting heavy; sweat was perspiring from their skin but the vivid glint in their eyes intensified. At one point, they both realized he was going to win. He had more stamina than her, more experience, and he was beginning to understand her movements clearer now, losing his surprised when she blocked instead of hit and misdirected instead of block.

That was until she caught his wrist, used his hip as an anchor to twist herself up and wrap her thighs around his head. She used her weight to counter him, flipping him over and painfully onto his back. Stunned at the contact, he was a second too slow to recognize her jumping away and kicking his chin up. She somersaulted back, hands on her hips with a victorious smirk.

Qrow sat up, lips pursed in annoyance. “Of all the situations where I imaged myself between your thighs, this was not one of them. Shit!” Qrow rubbed the back of his head where Winter’s scroll hit him. “I admit I deserve that, but warning.”

“I am throwing my scroll at you for being a degenerate!” Winter said, her cheeks burning red due to the fight and his words. “There is your warning!”

Qrow got up, dusting the grass and dirt from his clothing with a sigh. “Can you at least kiss it better?”

“How about I throw Harbinger at you instead?”

Qrow laughed and tossed her scroll back to her, “Winter Schnee.”

“What?”

“You are an outstanding huntress, better than me and I am an utter fool.”

“With a bad sense of style,” she reminded him.

“With a bad sense of style,” he remedied, “Happy?”

Winter took a deep breath to control her panting, annoyed that he wasn’t as out of breath as she was. She studied him for a moment, ignoring the disappointment she felt at losing. “Satisfactory,” she said, stepping forward to fix his hair for him.

“How about a rematch?” He caught her hand and leaned down, seeing her tense.

“Want to lose again?”

“No,” he said, and knew his following sentence was going to add fire to her rising temper, but the need was too grand for him and he did not care if her glyph would launch him into a tree. “I just didn’t get a good look at the color of your underwear.”

He did get a good look at the color of her underwear.

They were white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments, guys! They're super nice and I'm glad you like my work. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> @Grace Makalu, I hope was a good interpretation of a jealous Qrow! I do plan to bring the jealous element back in future chapters.


	6. Dried Flowers

“We sent Huntsman Duclair to Mice Desert, which, as you know, is heavily patrolled and protected by the Monade Tribe. He has gone quiet. His mission was to carry a message from Mistral to Vale regarding a high-security threat. We couldn’t risk it going through the CCT.” Ozpin placed his elbows on his desk, “Your mission is to find him, alive or dead, retrieve the message, and not get caught by the Monade Tribe.”  
  
“Sounds easy,” Qrow said.  
  
“You will be meeting with a huntress who's already in Mice Desert for a different mission. She has been undercover for three weeks as a traveling refugee. You appearing by her side will lessen any suspicion you may attract.”  
  
“A huntress?” Qrow frowned, “I work alone.”  
  
“I'm aware,” Ozpin said with a slight smile, “which is why you are on this mission alone and only receiving a little help from a huntress who just so happen to be there and can help with you completing said mission.”  
  
“Yeah. Yeah. So, who’s the informant I’m meeting?” Qrow asked, logging everything in his scroll and looking over the documents passed to him by Ozpin and Ironwood.   
  
“Winter Schnee.”

~o~o~o~o~

Qrow flew behind a tent and transformed back into a human. He arrived at Palms, a tiny town in Mice Desert, a day earlier than scheduled mostly due to his eagerness in seeing Winter and having a full day with her. He has never felt excited to meet an informant before, but knowing that it was Winter Schnee he was going to meet, his grin could not leave his face. His heart was fluttering rapidly at a speed he did not think was possible because of her.

There was something about her perfect posture, competitive nature, and refined manner of speaking that got to him. Then, there were those damn delicate and infrequent smiles she has that made everything brighter. There were moments that she seemed so perfect until he said or did something that would make her scowl and glare at him, or give a genuine airily laugh and it was those moments where she floored him.  
  
He vaguely mentioned the effect she had on him to Taiyang and the blond huntsman simply said that it sounded like he was falling in love. Him? Qrow Branwen who had never been in a relationship longer than a three hours one-night stand? He wanted to laugh but when he tried, nothing came out. Taiyang was smiling so damn much that Qrow told his nieces, Yang and Ruby, that Taiyang hid candy in the living room. While the girls wrecked the house, Qrow was able to slip away to avoid Taiyang’s teasing.

But his words rang in Qrow's head for hours.

He was still reeling over the fact that he somewhat proposed to her. Yet, as much as he told himself he shouldn’t be involved with her, he still looked for her whenever he went to Atlas, strived to get a rise from her that broke that mask she wore. To say or do something that would soften her edges.

Ironwood noticed Qrow’s habit of sticking to Winter when he was in Atlas and began to send her off on missions whenever Qrow was coming to Atlas. Now, here he was traveling to her. He was going to see her after two months.

He wanted to know how she was. Was her father still upset with her after she spent an entire night with him? Has she improved that time glyphs she was having trouble with? How was her sister’s birthday? Had she tried baking a cake for her like she wanted to?  
  
Did she miss him?  
  
Gods, was this what all his colleagues felt like when they were falling love?  
  
Qrow stopped and stepped behind the tent again in a panic, not believing that he admitted to himself in broad daylight with no alcohol in him that he was falling in love. Groaning, he shook his head, almost annoyed with himself. He was doing so well not falling in love with no one for the past thirty-three years, and she just had to mess it all up.

How dare she.

He had a reputation to uphold.

Qrow scowled and walked out to the dusty street of Palms. Communication between scrolls was not advised in this area of Remnant. The CCT connection here was not secured. So, he had to physically look for her.

He swiftly purchased a tan hooded cape to wear and hid his face as he walked about. The people of Palms were commonly tan with dark brown hair and green eyes, dressed an airy linen clothing. He already stood out because of his height, so the cape would help him blend in as he searched for Winter.

Qrow passed stalls filled with different fruits and grains. He noticed some men and women wearing matching earrings, he assumed it was their version of wedding rings. As he walked, he felt a twinge of curling awareness on the back of his neck.

He was being watched.

He kept walking, waiting to see if it would disappear but it didn’t. After a block, he looked over his shoulder and saw no one suspicious. There were a few people walking the street, standing at stalls purchasing produce and knickknacks. No one was looking at him directly. Narrowing his gaze, he kept on walking, opening his senses even more to catch the person. After another block, he snorted and turned into an alleyway and transformed into a crow. He perched on top of a house and waited to see if anyone would enter the alleyway, and only a mother with a child did.

After ten minutes, he felt a twitch on his forehead. He was being ridiculed. Qrow flew to another alley to become a man. Smoothly bursting into the streets again, he looked around discreetly and stopped when he saw a tiny red bird perched on a table, singing happily to the person that was sitting there.

Then, he saw blue.

Winter glanced up from the bird and smirked. Narrowing his gaze, he marched over to her and yanked the chair out from her table, scaring the bird away. He plopped down, tapping the table with his fingers in annoyance. Like him, she was wearing a hooded cape but hers was the color of cream.

“You think you’re so smart.”

“I simply wanted to test the great Qrow Branwen’s hunting skills,” Winter said, taking a sip from her tea.

“Yeah? And what’s my score?” Qrow reached over and took the cup from her hand, taking a long drink to irritate her.

Winter frowned, “in need of improvement.”

She then used her foot to kick the back of his ankle and took her cup back. She poured more tea into the cup from the decorated teapot she had on the table before ordering another cup for him in a language he did not understand.

“How’d you know I was here?” Qrow asked.

“It was a coincidence. I was at the stall next to the one where you bought your cape.”

“Hm, I wonder if that was bad luck or good?”

Winter watched him over the rim of her cup, “What brings you here?”

“I need something from you,” he said, surprising her.

She lifted an eyebrow, pouring tea in his cup, too, when it arrived alongside a slice of cake with two forks. She passed a fork to him, “And what is that?”

Qrow leaned back in his chair, distracted by her long black lashes and the pretty ripe pink bow of her lips. Her hair was in a plait, curling down her left shoulder, standing out vividly against her royal blue vest above her billowing white blouse. Winter was lovely. His memory failing to remind him him how beautiful she was. He wondered when he would get used to the sensation. His eyes lingered on her lips again. He had spent many nights wondering what kissing her would feel like, taste like. 

“A kiss."

“Burn in a fire, Branwen.”

“I’m sure that glare of yours will cool me down, Ice Queen.”

“As if I would attempt to lessen your suffering.”

Qrow grinned as he drank from his own cup, taking a single bite of her cake with orange glaze in the middle. “How’s your mission going so far?”  
  
“It is classified,” she said, “yours?”

“Half-classified.”

“Half?”

“Yup. Good ol’ Ozpin mentioned that you might have some information regarding a smuggler that goes by the name of Albert Tulip.”

“Ah, so you are the huntsman. What kind of information do you need?”

“The kind that tells me where he’s at, how strong he is, if he got any lackeys following him, what kind of semblance he has,” he listed, “You know, all that good stuff. But, I want it tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Well, if you tell me now, then I have the responsibility of doing my job even though I came here a day earlier than needed.”

“What caused you to do that? I doubt it is to be punctual or to sight-see.”

“I came here to see you,” Qrow admitted, watching as a strong breeze knocked her hood off her head and the look she had was cool and trained. Yet, it inflamed him, from the red tint of her ears to the black fans of her lashes, the way she held his gaze, her fingers curling over her cup. Yes. Everything about her called to him.

“Is that so?”

“It is,” he said.

In the evening, they ran across Albert Tulip in the market. Winter swiftly gave Qrow the information he needed about Tulip before he left her in the town of Palms.

Sighing, he accepted again that he does have bad luck. The moment he was tempted to remind her of his question the night of her father’s party, that runaway smuggler just had to appear. Maybe it was a good thing? He knew well that it would be impossible for the heiress of Schnee Dust Company to run off with him.

Her father would have the Atlas Police Force looking for them. Even the military if his influence ran that deep. It would be nearly impossible for anything to happen between them, but when he thought of her curious expression on being given a small jar of dried flowers by him this afternoon, he knew he had to at least try.

He couldn’t leave her alone.


	7. Future

“Pas de chat, pas de bourrée, attitude pirouettes, and again on the left,” the ballet instruction shouted and Winter followed her instruction. Jumping into fifth position, bending her legs, standing on one and executing pirouettes until the combination ended before repeating it again.

The quartet in the corner of the room was playing rather quick and Winter shot them a glare as she went into the quick steps the instructor shouted at her. She heard the door of the room open and inhaled sharply at the sight of Headmaster Ironwood and Headmaster Ozpin entering the room.

She paused once the quartet and her instructor did but Ozpin waved his hand. “Please, finish up,” he said.

“Thank you, Headmasters. We’re almost done. From the top,” the ballet instructor whipped her stick on the barre and the music picked up again. “Pas de chat, pas de bourrée, attitude pirouettes; yes, just like that, Miss Schnee. Great posture. Now, manège. Go. Yes!”

“If being a huntress does not work out for Miss Schnee, she would make a wonderful ballerina,” Ozpin mused.

“If you’re impressed by her ballet, you should hear her sing,” Ironwood said, crossing his arm. “Or play the piano.”

“She can play the piano?”

“And viola. Jacque Schnee spares no expense on his daughters’ education.”

“Yes, now manège de coupé jeté. Good. Higher. Higher, Miss Schnee,” the instructor demanded. “Two more counts and end with a double saut de basque,” the instructor held her breath and smiled largely when Winter executed the steps perfectly. “Excellent. Excellent, Miss Schnee!”

Winter curtsied to her instructor, panting as sweat dripped from her forehead, “Thank you.”

The instructor nodded, “We're done for today. I’ll see you on Friday.”

Winter went to her bag and mopped the sweat from her brow with a small towel Whitely had given her. She threw on an oversized grey sweater made of thin cotton over her black leotard and changed from her pointe shoes to boots, watching her instructor go speak with the headmasters.

“Thank you for letting us finish, Headmasters.”

“Thank you for letting us watch,” Ozpin said politely. “It was very impressive.”

“Oh, yes. Winter is my best student,” the instructor smiled, “She did hit a plateau a few years ago and I believed she wouldn’t be able to continue, but she proved me wrong. I rue the day when our lessons will come to an end.”

“Well, it’s as they say, all good things must come to end.”

“Wise word,” she agreed and went to gather her things to leave, but not before she told the quartet they were sloppy near the end and Winter to work the height of her jumps. The quartet quickly packed their instruments, bowing their heads to the headmasters and scurried out like mice.

“Good morning, Headmaster Ironwood. Headmaster Ozpin,” Winter greeted them, her bag resting beside her feet. “Is there something I can help you two with?”

“Yes, actually,” Ozpin smiled, “Are you available to speak with us for a moment?”

Winter glanced at the clock. She had an hour before classes start. Ironwood noticed the time as well and mentioned that he will inform her professor of her tardiness. So, she nodded and followed the two headmasters out of the studio to the Atlas Academy courtyard. It was still early in the morning that there were almost no students walking the campus. They went up to Ironwood’s office where Ozpin pulled up chairs for him and Winter.

“How are you this morning, Winter?” Ozpin asked, accepting the coffee Ironwood handed to him.

“I am well,” Winter answered, accepting her tea, too, from Ironwood.

“We’re here to…have a conversation.”

Winter glanced to Ironwood and asked, “a conversation on what?”

“Your future,” Ironwood said, “after graduating. I know we talked about it once before and we would like to revisit the conversation if that’s alright.”

“It is.”

“Miss Schnee,” Ozpin leaned forward and smile, “I see great potential in you. We both do, and we want that potential to flourish under the right guidance and…encouragement.”

“We have become aware of your father’s suggestion for your future once you graduate,” Ironwood said. “While we do not want to overstep ourselves, we do want to offer other options for you.”

“Besides being a huntress?” Winter asked, taking a polite sip from her cup.

“Yes,” Ozpin said, “although a career in the performing arts also seems like a good path for you – Ironwood mentioned you are also a talented singer and musician – I would like to strongly recommend becoming a huntress and working with me in Vale.”

Winter blinked in surprised but waited for Ozpin to continue with his explanation.

“You have showcased great talent. Talent that will be useful in the fight for peace and justice, protection against grimm and groups of terrorism.” Ozpin said passionately. “Talent that should not go to waste.”

Winter nodded carefully, “I will take that into consideration, then.”

“What Ozpin is subtly trying to say is that your talent should not be tucked away so you can marry and work behind a desk because of your father’s demand,” Ironwood injected much to Ozpin’s disapproval. “Winter, I have not seen a student of your caliber, drive, and ambition in all of my years of teaching. Despite not being captain of your team, you exceeded what was expected from you and became the leader they needed. You carried your team twice through the Vytal Festival and won the title both times. When we say you have talent, we are saying you have a gift; a proficiency in strategy, fighting, communication, leadership, and fair delegation of duty.

“We know the difficulties you have as the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, and I want you to know that if you choose to leave that behind, you will still have a purpose, a reason to live, and we will help you. As I mentioned in that past, I see potential and great growth for you in the Atlas Military Special Operative Unit. The Atlas Military, while not completely free from the influences of companies, is legally free from their orders. They can’t touch you under the law of the Kingdom of Atlas.”

“You graduate in a few months,” Ozpin said, throwing another disapproving look at Ironwood, “And contrary to what your father may have said in the past, you have multiple paths in front of you. As we said before, we would like to offer you the opportunity to either work with me or with Ironwood after you graduate from the Academy. While you don’t need to answer-”

“Yes,” Winter said, surprising them both.

“Really?” Ironwood said.

Ozpin laughed, “And here we were thinking it would be harder to convenience you.”

“I want to help people, as many as I can, and I know following my father’s plan will prevent me from doing so.” Winter gave a smile, one that was rehearsed, “I truly appreciate the offers, but would it be alright if I think over which option to take? I have to take into consideration my younger siblings and…some hindrances. ”

Ozpin nodded, “Yes, we will also look into those…hindrances.”

“Is there anything else?” Ironwood looked over the Ozpin, “Miss Schnee does have class in less than thirty minutes.”

“Not that I can think of. Miss Schnee, thank you for your time.”

“Thank you,” Winter said, returning her empty teacup to the tray on Ironwood’s desk.

“Ah, Winter,” Ironwood stopped her. He sighed in irritation, his head in his palm as he looked at Ozpin and then to Winter. “I…hate to ask this but what's your relationship with Qrow Branwen?”

“Unprofessional, questionable, and exasperating,” She said quickly in a clear voice. “I believe he has the life goal to pester me until I jump off a cliff.”

Ozpin laughed loudly at her answer, “I see. I see. Would you like us to intervene on that?”

Winter paused, regarding them carefully, “It is quite alright. I can handle him.”

“Are you sure?” Ironwood asked, “Just say the word and we will prevent his interaction with you.”

“Thank you for your offer and concern, but it is fine,” Winter said, “I know his type. Like his namesake, he will get bored of me and move on to the next shiny thing that catches his interest.”

“As long as you are sure. If you change your mind, please let us know,” Ozpin smiled.

“Yes. Again, thank you, headmasters.” Winter bid them goodbye.

Ozpin snickered behind his mug, “A little hard to read but she’s humorous. I can see why Qrow is insisted in coming to Atlas more often.”

Ironwood snorted, “I would really like to revisit our discussion on Qrow’s involvement with Winter.”

“I still think it’s fine.”

“He likes her.”

“I know.”

“And I mean in more than a platonic manner.”

Ozpin smiled, “I agree.”

“He’s more than a decade older than her.”

“Wasn’t your last partner fifteen years your junior?”

“Yes,” Ironwood nearly sputtered, “but she was in her mid-thirties with some real-life experiences.”

“And Miss Winter is a month shy of being twenty with experiences that forced her to mature quicker than others because of her status and background. From what I gathered, she did not exactly have a normal childhood like others filled with toys, friends, and mischief.”

“They are in two different stages of life.”

“And if they are aware of that and are still willing to make it work, what is the problem?”

“I’m just worried. Qrow isn’t the best when it comes to relationships.” 

“True. He usually moves on after a day but, from what I’ve seen, it’s almost been five months since they met and he is still returning to her.” Qzpin said, “I am positive, just as Miss Winter said, she can handle him.”

“I’m still going to keep an eye on him.”

“If it eases your mind,” Ozpin sighed. “Why are you concern about her, James?”

Ironwood frowned, looking out the window for a moment. “Besides being a student of mine. I know her since she was five. She reminds me of my younger sister,” he admitted, “Kind and always looking straight ahead with determination - a rare mixture to find these days.”

“I see,” Ozpin patted Ironwood’s shoulder; “Despite pushing the Atlas Military agenda to young impressionable minds…I suppose you’re a good man, James.”

He snorted again, “Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Not the most interesting chapter, but some headcanon background on Winter and stuff. 
> 
> If you enjoy, please leave a comment on what theme/prompt you would like for me to explore for them.


	8. Year End

“Winter!” Weiss looked up in panic, “help me! I don’t know what I did!”

Whitely was looking over Weiss' shoulder also wondering how to fix the mistake. Winter covered her yawned softly with her hand before looking at Weiss’ attempt in making her first scarf. She saw where the error occurred in the stitching and showed it to Weiss and Whitely, “Do you see this? You missed a cross here.”

“How do I fix it?”

“You just have to undo what you did so far and start again from there,” Winter explained and continued with her scarf. It was a stark red and made of a stain yarn with a basic cable pattern down the middle, loud and eye-catching compared to Weiss’. She just finished the last looped and closed it when Klein entered the library.

“Children, you’re still here?” he asked.

“Look, Klein!” Whitely rushed up to show him a dark grey hat, “Winnie made it for me.”

“Oh, it looks dashing.”

“Klein!” Weiss ran up to him, too, and showed the scarf to him with a proud smile, “Winter showed me how to knit a scarf.”

“A scarf?” Klein compliment Weiss’ scarf before looking at Winter’s, noticing the color and masculine traits it had, nothing to Winter’s personal taste. “Who’s that for?”

“A present of good faith for a huntsman,” Winter said, folding the scarf and cleaning up their mess as Weiss paraded around the room with her almost finished scarf.

“I see, it’s a fitting gift,” Klein said. “Come now, children, the Year End party is about to start and your mother is waiting for you three to welcome the guests.”

Winter rose from her chair, smoothing her gown, a lace fabric with floral embroidery and beading, before slipping her heels on. Weiss and Whitely handed her the hat and unfinished scarf to save for later, which she handed to Klein to take to her room. Winter led them to the great dance hall of the manor where the party was taking place. Weiss to the left of her in a charming gown with twists of flowers at its waist and Whitely to the right in a fine grey suit and a blue bow tie. 

It was the same charade as always. The same pointless meandering and actions made over dinner but with a different face each time. She smiled pleasantly at father’s associates, danced with their sons, talked politics with young politicians, and talked business with heirs from other companies.

A blur of an insignificant event that ended after six hours.

Winter entered her room and frowned when she saw Weiss and Whitely sleeping on her bed, their Year End gifts lying on the ground. They tried to stay up to exchange gifts with her. If she had known, she would have left the party earlier. She arranged them on the massive bed and had the intention to get ready for bed herself when she saw the red scarf on her desk.

Glancing at the clock, it was almost three in the morning and that meant that it was almost midnight in Patch. Winter felt nervous as she went to her scroll and searched for Qrow’s contact information. She peered at her sleeping siblings and stepped outside to her balcony. The lights turned on automatically, snow drifted down, and she took a moment to wish Qrow a happy Year End.

Message created.

Sent.

Delivered.

She sighed, almost disappointed for feeling flutters in her stomach. She crossed over to take a seat on a wooden chair, wanting the stark temperature to cool her cheeks and head. There were no stars in Atlas tonight. The looming clouds ensured that by stretching out thin. Her scroll rang and she almost threw it from the surprise. It was a visual call from Qrow and she thought about not answering it due to the fright he gave her, but after a moment she answered it once she was sure there was no one around her.

“You frightened me,” she accused once the projection gave way to his image.

He grinned, “I did?”

“Of course, I was not expecting you to call.”

“I wasn’t expecting a message from you either. It was hard to believe and, out of the goodness of my heart, I had to make sure nothing bad was happening to you.”

“The only thing bad that is happening to me is your manners.”

Qrow snorted and his eye softened. “Hey."

"Yes?"

"Happy Year End.”

“Happy Year End,” she replied and set the scroll on the table.

“Wait,” Qrow moved in a little closer, “are you outside?”

“I am.”

“Isn’t snowing?” He asked, but he saw the snowflakes drifting around her and landing on her black lashes.

“It is.”

“Get inside!” He demanded, “Do you want to get sick!?”

“I can not talk to you inside. My siblings are sleeping.”

“Sleepover?”

“I think they wanted to exchange gifts but fell asleep waiting for me.”

“Cute," Qrow frowned, "Now, go get a blanket.”

“Fine, you grackle.”

“Grackle?!”

Winter ignored his cry and went inside to grab a blanket. She draped the first one she saw around her shoulders, making sure Weiss and Whitely were still asleep before returning outside. She sat back down and noticed his pensive frown, “Yes?”

“Had a party tonight?”

“The annual Schnee Year End Dinner Party,” Winter said.

“I didn’t get an invite.”

“Do you have a multimillion lien business?”

“Um…no.”

“There is your answer on the invitation,” she huffed a laugh. “No worries, though. It is the same thing as always, nothing new or interesting unless you simply come for the food. You did not miss much.”

“I missed seeing you in a dress.”

“Qrow.”

“Give me a spin.”

“Qrow!” Her cheeks were red.

“Come on, I never see you dressed up.”

“I’m practically always dressed up.”

“One twirl,” he said, “and I’ll bring you Patch chocolates again.”

“You would bring me some regardless if I showed you my dress.”

“True, but humor me.”

Winter frowned, embarrassed but decided to indulge him. She stood up again and gave a slow turn under the patio light without the blanket, “Satisfied?”

Qrow sighed, “I could have been there in person to see you in a low-cut dress. Such a wasted opportunity.”

“Goodnight, Qrow,” she reached over to end the conversation but he apologized with a laugh.

“You look nice,” he said and leaned forward with a leered grin. "Are you wearing a bra?"

Winter ended the call and she wasn't leaning back in her seat when he called her again. She let it ring for a while before answering it with a sigh. He was chuckling when the projection solidified and she wondered, once more, why she liked his company when he annoyed her so much. Winter tugged the blanket over her and asked him, “How was your Year End?”

“Yang and Ruby wanted to stay up until midnight to open presents, too, but fell asleep. So, I was helping Tai clean up.”

“Oh, is this a bad time, then?”

“I called you,” Qrow reasoned. “I needed a distraction anyway.”

“Lair. You do not want to clean.”

“True but I also wanted to talk to you.”

“Well, then. Who am I to keep you from your household duties,” she said, and they delved in light conversation. She laughed softly when he made a joke and listened to the tradition his family did for the Year End: a hearty dinner with pecan pie for dessert, gingerbread house competition, and opening presents at midnight if the girls could stay awake. Qrow mentioned the gifts he got for his nieces. Yang will receive some new fighting gloves and a motorized bike – she kept saying she wanted a motorcycle but he thought she was still too young for one. He and Taiyang agreed to get her one once she entered a huntsmen academy. Ruby got some expensive sweets from his trip to Mistral and a training scythe.

“She wants to be like her good ol’ Uncle Qrow.”

“You must be proud.”

Qrow frowned, “is that an insult?”

“Did you take it as one?”

“Yes?”

Winter laughed much to Qrow’s annoyance. She did not realize that an hour nearly passed until Qrow mentioned that she had to go inside. “Your nose is red,” Qrow argued, “and so are your cheeks. It’s what? Four in the morning other there?”

“It is.”

“Go to bed,” he said.

“Concern?”

“Of course I am.”

“You are more of a mother hen than your namesake.”

“Stop with the bird jokes and go inside,” he scowled, “I’ll give you a call later.”

“Oh? You will call me again?”

Qrow froze and she was sure she saw his cheeks reddened, which was a rare sight for her. “Is that a problem?” He asked.

“I will wait for it,” she said, collecting her blanket tightly over her when she thought of the gift she made for him. “When will you be stopping by Atlas?”

“Why? Miss me?”

“I have a gift for you.”

Qrow blinked and gave a small pleased smile, “You got me a present?”

“A Year End gift,” Winter clarified. “So?”

“I have a mission in Mantle in two days, but I guess I can stop by Atlas for a day afterward if you’re not so terribly busy with your high society parties and dates with your trail of suitors.” He said in an overly ornate tone, smirking at her frown.

“Well, there are parties but I can miss those. And worry not, I will reschedule my dates with my suitors on that day for you.”

His smirk fell, “dates?”

“With my suitors,” she finished for him, nearly laughing at his expression. “I am sure they have gifts for me, too.”

“Oh,” his tone was deep and annoyed. “Winter.”

“Yes?”

He frowned, his fingers rapping the railing of the balcony he was leaning against. He opened his mouth, about to speak but shut it again. Thinking hard and carefully, but she saw his irritation finally win over. “Don’t go on any more dates,” he requested, but it came out more of an order that had her lifting an eyebrow.

“And why is that?” She asked.

“Because you don’t need to anymore.”

“That is not a good reason.”

“Winter, you can’t.”

“I believe I will need a better answer than that for my father.”

“Winter,” his tone was hard and flat. He ran his hand through his hair, nearly pulling it. It was a childish and immature request. He knew that. It was one where he had no right to demand but the thought of her spending time in the presence of another man who had the clear intention to charm and woo her had his blood boiling. He didn’t want to imagine her smiling with another man the way she smiled at him, sharing a meal with another man as she did with him, touching another man in her shy manner as she had done with him, laughing and being unguarded with another man that was not him.

Those rare sides of Winter. He selfishly wanted them for himself.

“Winter,” he started again.

“Yes?”

"I don't want you to go on any more dates."

"Oh? Are you jealous?"

"I am," he answered truthfully. 

She looked away for a moment before speaking again. "Father has one pending for this weekend with the mayor’s son,” she admitted, seeing a scowl appeared on his face. “However, I hope you find some comfort in knowing that I have been firmly declining every single date he has been attempting to set up as of...recent, though some, unfortunately, slip here and there. I will decline this one, too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. I find I prefer the company of birds over suitors.” She said and smiled softly at the amused grin she got out of him.

“Don’t find them nosy?”

“I find them charming.”

“Handsome?”

“Should we exchange them over dinner? The gifts, I mean.” She said, ignoring his last baiting question, “I will even let you pick the restaurant.”

“Trying to win points with me, I see. I’ll take it.” He was pacified for the moment but he wondered how long he could keep this roaring emotion inside of him quiet. He would need to tell her soon. It was practically ripping out from of his throat to shout it for all to know. A new and exciting emotion he never had before and it was a secret he did not want to keep to himself anymore. The snow was falling heavier on her end and he, once again, urged her to go inside. “I'll call and let you know when I'm going to Atlas."

"I will wait for your call, then."

"See you in a few days. Happy Year End.”

“Happy Year End. Goodnight,” Winter smiled, not knowing its appearance made his heart skip, and ended their call. She looked back up at the sky and wondered what she was doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and leaving comments.


	9. Drunk

“Should you not ask for someone that is not a student to help you out?” Winter walked up to Qrow who hasn’t responded from his seat at the bar. “It is not even three in the afternoon. Branwen.”

Winter pushed his shoulder, knocking his head off his hand and onto the counter. She expected him to shout but he just shifted his gaze up at her and grinned.

“Snow Queen. You’re here.”

“I was called by the bartender to get you.”

“Oh, you weren’t lying,” the bartender popped out from the back and was momentarily taken aback by Winter's graceful appearance, a beacon of light in the dreary bar, as he placed Qrow’s glass of whiskey on the table. 

"Told ya," Qrow said, moving the red scarf he was wearing, the one she made for him a few weeks ago, and reach for the glass.

“Why call to pick him up if you are going to continue to give him drinks?” Winter glared at the man, snatching the cup out of Qrow’s hand and handing it back to him.

“He asked for it.”

“Bring me his tab,” she demanded.

“You look nice,” Qrow said in a delighted tone. Under her long grey winter coat, she wore a lavender dress, long-sleeves made of lace and her hair was down for once, a braid crowning her head with tiny white gem pins. “Dressed up to see me?”

“The only reason why I would dress up for you would be to see your casket being lowered down to your grave.”

Qrow’s grin grew, “Ah, but you’ll dress up for me.”

“Here you are,” The bartender presented the tab to Winter before she could smack Qrow on the head.

She frowned at the amounts of drinks he had, all cheap but enough to tranquilize a bear, and swiftly paid for it, pushing it back to the bartender. She paused and looked at Qrow. “Why was I called?”

The bartender shrugged his shoulders; “I asked who he wanted me to call and he said his girl, ‘Snow Queen.’”

“And he has me listed as such in his contacts.”

“Yup.”

She shook her head and grabbed Qrow’s hand, tugging him out of his seat.

“Where are we going?” He asked, putting his weight on her. The cold Atlas air was waking up him. Snow crunching soundly beneath his feet.

“To your hotel room, I am assuming.”

“I knew you couldn’t resist my charms,” he leered.

Winter let go of him, watching as he collapsed to the ground. Her ears were red and she heard him mumbled an amused apology. Huffing, she helped him up and balanced him as they walked down the sidewalk. “Where are you staying?”

“The Plum Hotel,” Qrow muttered, rubbing his head against hers and destroying her hair from its delicate design. In his drunken stupor, he had the need to cover her with his scent until she had traces of him mingled in her smell. “You smell nice.”

“And you smell of alcohol.”

“When I don’t, do I smell nice?”

“Focus on your walking instead of asking me mundane questions,” she said, not wanting to admit to him that he did.

“Were you doing something important?”

“Yes,” she sighed, thinking back to the luncheon she was attending with the mayor’s son but she won’t tell him that, especially after their conversation on Year End.

“Does that mean you find me more important?” Qrow smiled into her hair, “You like me, don’t you?”

“Do not make me regret helping you out.”

They slowly made their way to his hotel that was a few blocks away. Qrow was leaning heavily on Winter and she ignored his fingers playing with her hair. She noticed the dark rings under his eyes; the shallow lines on his face that hinted his age were graver than normal, making him appear older than he was. While Winter wasn’t accustomed to joy or tranquility, she knew plenty about apprehension and anxiety, and he had weights of them on his mind.

Entering the Plum Hotel, they made their ways to the reception desk. The jolly woman looked at him expectantly but then blinked at Winter. Briefly, she wondered if the woman recognized her due to the surprised look she gave her. “Yes?”

“Pardon. My boyfriend is staying here and I am hoping to get him to his room,” Winter lied. “His name is Qrow Branwen. B. R. A. N. W. E. N.”

“Y-yes,” the receptionist looked him up in her system, “He’s on the fifth floor, room five-twenty. Um, is he okay?”

“Fuckin’ great,” Qrow answered with a drunken smile, “I got my girl with me.”

“Long morning,” Winter smiled smoothly, “breakfast did not go so well with my parents.”

“Ah! I see,” the receptionist nodded as if she understood, comparing Winter’s appearance to Qrow’s. “Do you need a keycard?”

Winter looked up at Qrow, his chin was pressed against her temple and his stubble was scratching the skin there. He was being extremely affectionate and she was in no mood to pat him down to encourage more touching. “Yes, please.”

“Here you are,” the receptionist gave her a copy of the keycard and directed Winter to the elevator.

“Security here is awful,” Winter muttered, carefully getting them to the elevator.

“Snow Queen.”

“Yes?”

“I’m your boyfriend, now?” He asked with a chuckle.

“You prefer if called you my husband?”

“Sure.”

Winter dropped him again and he leaned against the wall, smiling dumbly up at her. “That’s a horrible way to treat your husband.”

“A horrible way to treat my husband is to leave him in the middle of the street with no money or scroll,” she glared at him, hauling him up when the doors dinged and opened.

“How long have you fantasied about me being your husband?”

“Not as long as I fantasied about pushing you into a beowolf’s mouth,” she said as they arrived at his room.

“You’re so cold,” he tightened his arm around her shoulders. It brought her closer to him, his breath tickling her neck and the shell of her ear. She squirmed away with a blush, her hand clasped over the area. “Weak point,” he snickered, entirely pleased with himself.

“Will you behave?”

Qrow thought it over, “Nah.”

“You are infuriating.”

“And under that icy exterior of yours, you’re nice and care about me,” he stated.

“I have always cared about you,” Winter pushed him off of her to open the door and he wobbled for a second before attaching himself back on her.

"See. Nice."

"How on Remnant are you this juvenile and in your thirties?"

“I’ve fantasied about having you as my wife,” Qrow admitted.

“How unfortunate.”

He snickered, “I was thinking the opposite.”

“You do not know me.”

“I know you.”

“No, if you did, then you would know I would make a poor excuse of a wife,” she tugged him into the room, seeing only a lone duffle bag on the bed that she assumed was his.

“For most? Yeah. But for me, you’ll be good,” he admitted, “More than good. You'd be imperfectly perfect for me.”

"Nonsense."

"I want to marry you."

“What if I don’t want to get married until I’m thirty?” Winter said, deciding to play along to his drunken rambling. 

“That’s fine. As long as I’m with you, I don’t care. I’ll wait even if you want to get married in your forties or fifties. Hell, we don’t even need to get married,” Qrow prattled on, “As long as I’m with you, I don’t care. I just want to be with you. Live in a nice house, maybe a cabin? Every other day, I’ll bring home takeout for dinner.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s my turn to get dinner.”

“No, why takeout?”

“Because your cooking sucks and so does mine,” he reasoned, allowing her to sit him down on the bed.

“How do you know my cooking is bad?”

“You look like someone that would set the kitchen on fire,” he said confidently and it made Winter give a twinge of a smile as she pulled one of his boots off. “Yeah…when I get home, I’ll have some takeout. You’ll remind me to leave my shoes at the door because you hate bringing dirt into the house but then you’ll kiss me hello. Right here,” he practically hit himself in the face when he pointed to his lips. “Oh, and you’ll be wearing your reading glasses. Black slim ones.”

“I do not own reading glasses,” Winter pulled the other boot off.

“Shush, this is my fantasy,” Qrow glared at her but the inebriated smile made it weak. “You’ll be wearing your glasses and you’ll probably have a bunch of paperwork on the dinner table instead of your office desk because you prefer working in the dining room. You’re such a workaholic.”

“And you are an alcoholic,” she lifted his legs onto the bed. "You should see someone about that."

“See. We’re perfect for each other. I’ll make you work less and being with you, it makes me want to be a better man, so I’ll stop drinking so much.” Qrow plopped back onto the bed. “I’ll only drink one glass a whiskey a day. Okay, maybe two. And when I have nightmares, I can relax and go back to sleep because you’re there next to me, and we’ll be happy.”

Winter stood there, glancing at the door for a moment. She thought about leaving. She felt out of place and any conversation about feelings or emotions always made her queasy, embarrassed, and generally uncomfortable. This was not her place but seeing him and that forlorn face made her stay.

She preferred his egotistic smirks and grins.

“Keep me out of your drunken fantasies.”

“Then, you’ll just be in my drunken dreams,” he reached out to her, “Winter?”

“Yes?”

“We’ll be happy, right?”

She didn’t want to answer that.

“So? What happened that made you drink your misery?” She asked instead.

He snorted, “More like what pissed me off.”

“Would you like to tell me?”

“I can’t,” Qrow said with a childish whine and then mimicked Ozpin, or at least she assumed it was Ozpin, “This information is utterly classified. Do not speak it outside of this room.”

Winter hummed, “Apologizes for not being helpful, then.”

“You’re helping,” he said with a smile, his eyes were heavy and the lights behind her were blinding, but she was here and he didn’t want her to disappear. “When you’re around I feel…what’s the word when you have a fire under your ass to keep trying?”

“Motivated.”

“Yeah! Yes. I feel motivated. When you’re around, I feel motivated.”

“About what?” She perked an eyebrow at his outstretched hand, his fingers wiggling.

“What I’m doing,” he quickly snatched her hand and pulled her onto the bed with him. She caught herself before falling onto his chest and glared but he didn’t notice. “Running around doing missions, I feel like there isn’t a point but when I see you, I feel motivated to keep trying and when I see my nieces, I feel hopeful for their future, hopeful that all these missions will mean something...mean that they fight one less battle.”

“So, this last mission, I am assuming you received bad news,” she leaned back, her hand was still in his.

Qrow groaned angrily, “Yes. It changed everything and now the peace we’ve been trying so hard to maintain is disturbed and it’s just…fucked up.”

“Language,” Winter chided halfheartedly.

“I’m worried,” he admitted. “If I tried harder, was quicker, stronger…would it have made a difference?”

“You cannot change the past,” Winter watched his finger interlace with hers and again she compared his hands to hers, texture and size. “But the future is still an untold story with many paths waiting to be written. So, what will you do to help write it?”

Qrow grinned, “See? Motivated.”

Winter resisted the need to roll her eyes, not feeling as if she said anything astounding but to a drunken man she might as well have told him she cried gemstones. She pushed Qrow back into bed when he leaned up, “You are falling asleep.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Go to bed.”

“Get in bed with me.”

“Qrow,” she said sternly.

“I don’t want you to leave,” he squeezed her hand and she felt it around her stomach, too. “I love you.”

She almost laughed.

“You are utterly drunk.”

“Hey. I am. but I love you before I got drunk and I’m sure I can be drunk and still be in love with you.”

She laughed this time, "what a grand lie."

"It's not a lie."

"I have heard that declaration from many men of different ages and nationalists and backgrounds. What makes yours different?"

"Because it's true."

Winter frowned, unsure of the storming of emotions she saw in his eyes and, again, she felt uncomfortable and foreign. “This is not my place,” she said, ears burning and cheeks aflame, she freed her hand from his and went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water for him.

“It could be,” Qrow said, his eyes were shut and he was beginning to breathe deeply. “Since my place is next to you.”

“You do not want to be tied to someone like me. I promise I am worst than your semblance,” Winter set the glass on his table and wasn’t surprised when he opened his eyes to look at her. They held each other’s gazes for a moment before Winter said goodbye and turned to leave, but she stopped at his door when he called for her.

“Yes?”

“I got you something,” he said, patting for his duffle bag blindly until Winter sighed and pushed it into his hands. “Yeah, um, here it is!”

Winter lifted an eyebrow at the box in his hand, “A box?”

“No, in the box,” he tossed it to her.

Winter caught it smoothly and opened it, tilting it to see a necklace inside. “A necklace?”

“Birthday,” Qrow grunted, “it was last week, wasn’t it?”

“It was,” she said, smoothing the long thin-chained necklace with a round white druse pendant on her palm.

He smiled at her without any resistance, “Happy twentieth, Snow Queen.”

“How did you know?”

“I asked Jimmy,” Qrow answered, watching as she put the necklace on, pleased that it looked nice on her. Elegant, he would even say.

“Asked?”

“Tricked. Coerced. Whatever you want to call it,” he chuckled.

“When is yours?”

“In the summer.”

“I would like to reciprocate,” Winter thumbed the pendant, “what would you like?”

“Anything you give me is fine,” he said, “Hell, even spending a whole day with you would be a perfect present.”

“What a humble request.”

“Really? I thought it was quite selfish,” he snorted. “I wanted to see you but…the mission took a few days longer than I expected. I hope you didn’t miss me too much.”

“I will forgive your absence and lack of celebratory message if you spend my next birthday with me,” she said, seeing the pleased surprised on his face.

He gave her a tender look, one that must have slipped through his drunken veneer. “It’s a date, then.”

“It is not,” Winter looked at the time and frowned, “I have to go.”

Qrow nodded, pleased that he was at least able to give her the necklace that he had been carrying in his bag for the last three weeks. He thought about giving it to her when they exchanged Year End gifts, but he wanted to see her again soon and her birthday was the perfect excuse. It was just his luck that he had to miss it, though.

He realized she was about to leave and he called for her one more time, holding her gaze steadily despite the alcohol swimming in there. “Can I love you?”

“Do as you please,” Winter left his room with her cheeks burning red.

Qrow smiled happily and was ready to sleep. So, he turned to the side wanting his dreams to be filled with soft smiles and warm blue eyes and, instead, he fell out of bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Again, if you have a theme you want me to write about, leave a comment to let me know!


	10. Dreaming

"I want to marry a prince," Weiss stated suddenly, looking at Winter to make her statement a reality.

Perking an eyebrow, Winter shut her book to give her sister her full attention. They were in the library in their manor. A shared sanctuary for the sisters. Whitely preferred the gardens. The tall grey walls with equally tall white bookcases were filled with books that welcomed them without judgment or expectations. The plush blue chairs arranged around the fireplace warmed them even when winter was over, and the sun streamed through the large windows without hesitation. It was under these ribbons of light that Winter read and matured, observed those around her and made the decision to save herself.

"Oh? Why is that?" she asked.

"Because in the play we're reading at school, the prince finds the princess, rescues her from the evil ogre and takes her away to live happily ever after." Weiss jumped up, her hair once styled in twin tails was now in a high ponytail like Winter’s. Winter always thought it was endearing Weiss wanted to be like her.

"And you cannot do that yourself?"

"Well," Weiss looked around the room sheepishly, "maybe, but in the play, the princess couldn’t do it herself."

“That is because the playwright was not creative and did not think the princess could do more, but she can just as you can.”

“Really?”

“Yes. A princess is a leader in her kingdom. She has more power than you think, and she must use that power wisely because her people look up to her, they are her responsibility.”

“That sounds more interesting.”

“Agreed. Remember, if you want your own freedom and control over your own fate, you have to grasp it yourself," Winter stood from her seat and walked to Weiss. "Do not let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do, understood?”

"Yes," Weiss said, lowering the book she was reading for class.

Winter tipped Weiss' head up and smiled softly, “I am proud of you.”

“I’m proud of you, too,” Weiss beamed back.

“Shall we see if Ms. Maples is baking anything?”

“Can we?” Weiss jumped up and followed Winter down the hall to the kitchen. Weiss hummed happily, thinking of the pastries she was going share with her sister. “Can we take some to Whitely?”

“Of course. I heard Ms. Maple is making chocolate cake.”

“That’s Whitley’s favorite,” Weiss whispered in excitement. She looked down at her book and frowned, “Winter?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want a prince to save me anymore, but is it alright if I find someone to love and live happily ever after with?”

Winter blinked and glanced down at Weiss. She was turning fourteen and was entering that stage of adolescent curiosity in romance. “Of course,” she said after a moment, “To love someone and have them love you back is the simplest wish we can make and the most difficult one to achieve. However, I hear it is rewarding.”

“Is it?” Weiss looked at Winter and raised her chin to match Winter’ posture. “What should I look for?”

“You should look for someone that wants you to be happy, just as you want them to be happy. You celebrate their success as they would celebrate yours. Someone that accepts your flaws.”

“Flaws? But Father said we have to be perfect.”

“Father says a lot of things,” Winter said coolly, one hand folded behind her back. “You must not always take what he says as truth.”

“Okay,” Weiss nodded, “Have you ever been in love?”

Winter jolted and her ears turned red, “W-what?”

“In love? Have you been in love? What does it feel like?”

“I…If I have, someone failed to notify me,” Winter frowned.

“But if you have…?”

“If I have…I would think it would feel like a dream.”

“A dream?”

“Yes. Something strange and illogical.”

“But, good?”

“Yes, I suppose.”

“Oh,” Weiss grabbed the banister of the staircase as she followed Winter down the stairs, “What do you look for?”

Winter nearly missed the last step and huffed, giving Weiss an exasperated look. “Why are you so curious?”

“Because of the play,” Weiss reasoned with a huff as well.

“No, I mean why are you curious about me.”

“Well,” Weiss tilted her head side to side, “why shouldn’t I? I want you to be happy, too.”

“What if I am happy being alone?”

“Then, that’s fine, too, I suppose,” Weiss said carefully.

Winter sighed, “I would say…I look for someone that sees pass our family name, what we represent and what our name has to offer, and simply sees me.”

“Flaws and all?”

“Yes, heavens know I have so many,” Winter smiled softly, “I want someone who I can show my flaws to, express myself with and he would not think less of me when I show unattractive emotions like anger or sorrow. Someone that challenges me and respects my decisions; someone that…checks in on me every once in a while to see how I am; someone that reminds me of an ill-behaved but humorous bird that wants to be with me even if that meant living in a small cabin.”

“Are you sure you’ve never been in love?”

“Weiss.”

“Because it sounds like you are.”

“W-what?! I am not,” Winter stood there with her heart beating fast as Weiss entered the kitchen first and asked for Ms. Maple.

Pursing her lips together, Winter thought of what she said and would not lie that she did have Qrow Branwen in her thoughts. She accepted that she had him in her favor. She had small feelings, she told herself, insignificant feelings that will wither away in a few days. After all, she was more than a decade younger than him and most likely not his type. She did not drink. She was not casual or easygoing like him. She took things far too seriously. She strived to be the best, seeing everyone as competition while he strived to be his personal best and only saw himself as competition.

He already had a life.

She was still trying to get ownership of hers.

Her feelings will erode over time; vanish like paint under the beating sun, like chalk on pavement after a storm. However, there were moments where she thought back to the day they met and knew she could never forget him. Moments when she reached for his jacket she wore the day they stayed out past three in the morning and inhaled his scent, dreaming of what could not be.

She was not in love.

“Winter!” Weiss rushed back to the hall, “Ms. Maple would like to know if you want green tea or black.”

“I want black tea,” Winter said, stepping forward.

She doesn’t even know what love was.

But she wondered what it would be like to have that with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	11. Perspective

Winter launched another arrow towards the shooting target, hitting the center flawlessly for the fifth time. Brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face, she looked over at Qrow and waited for his response. His gaze was focused on her but she noticed his mind was not present.

For a moment, she fantasized shooting an arrow at his head but, instead, kicked a rock. "You agree it is a good idea?”

He instinctually caught the rock and smirked, "That could've hit me."

"Woefully, it did not," Winter went to shoot another arrow, ignoring the bird that landed next to her feet. "So?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's a good idea," he said, not knowing what she originally asked but it was Winter. It probably had to do with taking another class in something or other.

Where she would fit it? He had no idea.

Winter's schedule was packed with activities starting at seven in the morning and ending at nine in the evening every single day, including the weekends. When he wanted to see her, he would usually drop in when she had a training or study session, which was normally in the late afternoon or evening.

"I knew you would agree."

Qrow stopped rolling the rock in his hand. Something was wrong. She would normally never do something she thought he would agree to. It was that contradictory nature of hers. "Wait. What did you ask?"

"I am thinking of working as a part-time waitress at the Bell Tavern."

She heard him jump up from the bench he sat upon under the snow-draped tree. She schooled her expression, taking aim with her arrow again and hitting the target soundly; causing the small amount of snow resting upon it to fall. She turned to face him smoothly, the outrage on his face lingered for a moment until it morphed to annoyance.

“You….”

“What is it? You do not want the opportunity to see me in an awfully short skirt and serving you whiskey?”

“I do, but I don’t want others to see,” he caught the second rock she kicked at him, "I admit I wasn't listening. So, what did you really ask?"

"Why did you decide to become a huntsman?”

“My teammates,” they walked over to the seven targets and he pulled all the arrows out for her. “When I entered Beacon Academy, I was a bitter fifteen-year-old who only knew about hate and destruction."

"Fifteen?"

"My sister and I skipped a few grades. Impressed?"

"Barely."

"But enough for a kiss?"

"Enough to not kick you. Now, go on with your explanation."

He laughed, "You're that curious about me?"

"Branwen."

"Calm down. Look. I really didn’t have the intention…to be a huntsman or work alongside them. But, each one of my teammates, besides being loud and obnoxious, taught me something.

“I was taught that being a huntsman was more than killing grimms, but being a protector and a symbol of a better future for humanity. Summer, the leader of team STRQ, taught me that. Tai taught me the usefulness and importance of friendship and camaraderie, that there is strength in being happy and striving for happiness. Raven, she taught me the consequences of turning your back on family, friends, and morals. I didn’t want to be like her. I wanted to be better. Ozpin had a keen interest in me when I was a student, and offered me a position to work under him after I graduated.”

“And you took it?”

“I took it.” Qrow handed her back the arrows, slinging her duffle bag over his shoulder as she organized her arrows back in its quiver and grabbed her bow. “After a few years of solely being a huntsman, I was suddenly asked to be a sub for a class at Signal and then I kind of stayed there for some time.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Being a teacher?”

“Yes.”

“Besides grading assignments, it was fun.”

“Have you ever taught while intoxicated?”

“Do I really give you that impression?” He asked, almost offended.

She looked him over and nodded.

“Your assumption is correct,” he laughed heartily, “I’m pretty sure I was hangover at least twenty-five percent of the time.”

“You are awful.”

“Never said I was good at it.”

“Would you ever wish to return?”

“Nah, I suck at teaching kids.”

“That was not my question.”

Qrow frowned and thought about it before giving a curt laugh, “Yeah, if everything settles down and the timing was right.” He glanced down at her, “Why all the questions? Got a job offer?”

“I did,” she said. They began to walk back to the main campus, the sun was setting and he knew she had plans to study in the library but he was here. She would never admit it, but he knew she would miss her reservation at the library to grab dinner with him instead.

“And?”

“Headmaster Ironwood wants me to join the Atlas Military Special Operatives.”

“Of course he fucking does,” he bit out, “recruiting students to join a kingdom’s army. That goes against the pact between the four schools. Don’t tell me you’re going to take it.”

“It is an option.”

“Winter,” Qrow turned to her sharply.

“Yes?” she met his glare.

“Joining the Atlesian Military will…,” Qrow sighed, “never mind. Do what you think is best for you.”

“Oh? Are you being mature? Here I thought you would start squawking angrily like your namesake about how horrible the Atlas Military is.”

“The recruitment process is crappy and there’s a lot of questionable things your honorable Headmaster does in the name of your country that I’m against,” he sneered, “and I don’t squawk.”

“If you say so.”

Qrow ran his hand through his hair, “What I’m trying to say is that…there are better options out there for you. Don’t limit yourself to one thing just because Jimmy throws an offer at you. There has to be something else that interests you besides joining the military.”

“Working as an everyday huntress,” Winter answered.

“You’ll make a great one. Once you graduate, I bet you’ll get loads of jobs. Hey, I’ll even let you travel with me if you ask nicely.”

“How bold of you to assume I ask for anything nicely,” Winter pushed him away when he got close to her. “Ozpin did reach out to me, offering me a position to work as a huntress at Beacon.”

Qrow felt a string of excitement run down his back, “And?”

“I made the mistake of mentioning the prospect of being a huntress to my father. He threatened to drag me back home if I dare to leave.”

“He can’t do that,” Qrow scowled.

“He has his hands in many business and global companies that need dust, and I am a valuable piece in his game of conquest. It would not be underneath him to state publicly that no dust will be distributed unless I am to return home,” she said, lifting an eyebrow at him, “Such an expression.”

“Hard not to have one when you hear about a shitty parent,” Qrow growled.

“It is what it is. I am tied to the Schnee Dust Company, to my title as heiress. I wonder,” she looked up at him, “do you consider my birthright a blessing or a curse?”

“It sounds like a curse to me.”

She hummed, “Is that so.”

“What do you think?”

The string to her bow snapped and the wire hit her hand, leaving an angry mark. Qrow frowned and grabbed her hand, examining the swelling. Winter glanced at it pensively, feeling warmth filter into her from his fingertips.

“I…think it depends on my perspective,” she answered him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and leave a comment if you have a moment! I truly appreciate all the kudos and support. 
> 
> I saw that there is going to be a Qrowin Week in December and I might participate if I get inspired by the prompts.


	12. A Promised Kiss

There were dozens of grimms crowding around him, most were beowolves but there were boarbatusk trickling in, and he saw some nevermores soaring in the sky. He just couldn’t get a fucking break, could he? Qrow scowled and unlocked Harbinger to shift it into a large scythe, and moved.

He cut them down in a steady pattern, more tedious than difficult as he went and cut them down one-by-one like trees. He just dealt with a dozen grimm a mile back and running into another herd was just his luck. Qrow jumped up and flipped over a beowolf, feeling the wound on his side stretch further open. Reminding him not to get too cocky, not to press his luck.

He may be an expert huntsman but he was still a man made of flesh and bone, and he can still die.

Another grimm went down.

And Another.

But he can’t.

Despite feeling cold seeping into his fingers, he could not die. He made promises. He promised Winter he was going to stop by Atlas this weekend and he promised to take Ruby and Yang to the new action movie at the end of the month. And if there was one damn redeemable thing about him, about Qrow fucking Branwen, it was that he kept his promises.

His scythe went through the torso of a nevermore, causing it to crash into the ground and evaporate into the air. He turned around to face another grimm, his vision blurry from the blood loss, but his instincts were still sharp. He moved to kill it when it was impaled with a white sword. The grimm and the white sword dissipate.

“Of course the huntsman that entered the infested Forest of Rhys is you.” Qrow looked behind him, following the steady voice of Winter who sliced through three approaching grimms. “What brought on this idiotic idea?”

She was in her school uniform and was not alone. There were nine other students with her and one of the Atlas professors near the back fighting off a large boarbatusk. He wondered if it was the blood leaking from him, but he smiled dumbly at her.

“A pleasure to see you as always, Snow Queen.” So distracted he was with her, he did not notice the grimm that was creeping up on him. But she did. She used a glyph to shield him when it pounced to attack.

“Are you bleeding?” She asked, her voice sharped in alarm, almost scared, and that was a first. Winter was never frightened but she was right now, and it was because of him. That made him happy. “Wait…are you poisoned?!”

Was he?

Oh, right.

He was. 

That man who knew about that woman who was searching for Amber attacked him and was able to make a cut on his arm before running off. That was right. That was why he was here. He ran after him and got surrounded by grimm, losing sight of that bald man.

“My luck,” he grumbled, looking at his wound. His legs quivered and he fell to his knees. 

Winter summoned her own grimm to fight in her place as she rushed over to him. Her hand pressed to his side to look at the wound and stop the bleeding before glancing at his arm where the skin was blackened. “You are,” she said, confirming it for her self.

“Hey. I just remembered something.”

“Your common sense?”

“No, I lost that long ago. I remembered I made a promise to myself,” Qrow grunted, feeling his body grow heavy and pain finally electrocuting through.

“Is it to stop running straight into danger?” she took her jacket off and tore the fabric into strips to wrap around his chest. “Because that would be an absolutely terrific habit to break. That and drinking.

“No,” he laughed painfully, “Before I die, I’m going to kiss you,” he hissed in pain but he was still able to grin at her. “So, what do you say? Make a dying man’s wish come true?”

Winter glanced at him and huffed, “You are overly drama-”

She wasn’t able to finish her sentence as Qrow tugged her down and molded his lips over hers desperately. His hand firmly behind her neck and she felt his lips lift in a pleased smirk before pulling away slightly.

“That’s how you taste,” he said, his breath brushing over her burning cheeks.

Winter scowled in embarrassment and tugged him up, supporting his weight against her as she shouted to her classmates and professor that she found him, the huntsman that was dumb enough to enter the forest by himself when poisoned. He would have laughed if the pain didn’t become overwhelming.

His vision was getting fuzzy and he felt cold. It was strange. The sensation of getting cold but feeling his skin screaming for oxygen. He was stumbling next to Winter, she was warm and smelled nice. So nice. A grimm went to attack them and she smoothly killed it without jostling him about, and he found that so attractive.

Then, it was black.

In the void, he saw nothing but he briefly could hear some trickles of sounds and the scent of the environment around him faintly before it, too, disappeared. It was hard to breathe. An unknown pressure weighed down on his body for long moments until he began to feel light, cold sweeping through him starting on his right arm.

He began to hear again, some shuffles here and there, but he still could not smell. No scent of dirt or trees, just nothing until there was the harsh smell of antiseptic that curled through him. Following that smell, however, were lilies. White burst from his vision, his eyelids heavy, and it steadied and sharpened to solidified the ceiling above him.

“Oh.”

The sounds of a voice made him move his head towards it.

“You are awake.”

The voice belonged to Winter who was arranging flowers next to his bed. She looked heavenly; her features were soft, her long hair tied high with a red ribbon, and eyes were that blue he liked and surrounded with inky lashes. He didn’t even notice the blood he left on her shirt.

She met his gaze and perked an eyebrow, “You are smiling like an idiot.”

His grin widened and he tried to speak but his mouth was dry. She shook her head at his attempt and went to grab water, frowning when she realized she would need to help him drink it.

“Do not enjoy this too much,” she said, maneuvering him up to take steady sips of water. “I will add this favor to the list of debts you owe me. Better?”

He nodded and went to sit up, hissing at the pain in his side but it wasn’t as bad as before. “Ice Queen.”

“Yes?” she said in a weary tone and it made him snicker.

“Nothing, just…you’re a sight for sore eyes.”

She rolled her eyes and snorted in that delicate manner of hers, “And you are only tolerable when you are asleep.”

“Are you saying I’m handsome?” He asked and she ignored him. “I’m going to take your silence as a ‘yes.’” This time she stifled a chuckle and he smiled. “How long was I out?”

“Three hours.”

“What happened?”

“Well, according to the tavern bartender, you ran into the Forest of Rhys after a man who tried to stab you.”

“Yup.”

“Following that, I assumed you fought some grimm, got surrounded and would have been fine taking care of them all if you did not get poison.”

He sighed, “Yup.”

“Then, I found you and you were rescued.”

He grunted and took a moment to think over the chaos that happened in the forest. “And you?” He asked, “Why are you here?”

“My class is here for a trip, collecting and studying herbs and such.”

“And how did you find out about me?”

“Ah, well, a patron from the tavern called me over when I was passing by. He asked if I knew a tall man with a scar on his jaw, red eyes, and greying black hair.”

“I’m not greying,” Qrow injected quickly.

“You are,” Winter smirked and tapped his right temple, “Right here. Must be the stress.” He glared at her and she chuckled. “Never thought of you as vain.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Go on with your story.” He waved his hand at her to continue, trying to control his longing to reach for the ends of her hair or her fingers that rested on the bedside table next to him.

“I answered I knew someone of that description and asked why. He said that you showed him a picture of me.”

“Oh, yeah,” Qrow nodded, remembering how good the whiskey tasted and presented the bartender and the man next to him a photo of Winter.

“Why?” Winter asked and Qrow shrugged his shoulders.

“He asked me if I had someone waiting for me back home.”

“And you showed him a picture of me?”

“I did.”

“Why? And how do you have a photo of me.”

“Why? Well...” He trailed off but he finished the answer with a knowing smile that made her blush. “As for the how. You’re not very aware of your surroundings.”

“What are you insinuating?”

“What do you think I'm insinuating?” He threw back and she narrowed her eyes at him.

“I think it means you are too much of a coward to ask for a photo.”

They glared at each other with matching scowls until he sighed and looked away. “Can I have a picture of you?”

Winter smoothed the sheet over him, “I will allow it. As long as I can have one of you.”

“Yeah?”

"Yes. Once you are better, of course.”

He huffed a laugh, “Sure. Anything you want. So, go on, what else happened?”

“He told me what happened and I had a bad feeling. So, I ran off to look for you since the forest was infested with Grimm. My professor followed after the man told her what happened and the class came, too. We defeated the herd of grimm that was there and brought you here.”

“Could have been worse,” Qrow grunted, annoyed at the outcome of the mission but at least one good thing came from it.

“Of course it could have. After all, that man you were after must have had bad luck since he failed to kill you,” she said off-handily and it made him laugh.

“Yeah,” he reached for her hand, his fingers dancing across hers. “I’m touched that you were planning to stay by my side until I woke up.”

“No,” she said quickly, “Only until seven in the evening since we need to take an airship back to Atlas. I was given permission to stay with you until then. And, lucky me, you awoke ten minutes before I needed to leave.”

Qrow frowned, “Aren’t you made of sugar and honey.”

There was a knock on the door and an Atlas student peered in after Winter gave permission. The girl mentioned they were heading out and the professor said to pack up. Winter nodded and dismissed the girl, saying she’ll be out soon.

“Leaving so soon?”

“Airship leaves at seven,” Winter reminded him and went to collect her leather backpack. She wouldn’t tell him that she was actually planning to stay until he awoke despite what she said earlier. No reason to fluff his ego. Especially after what he did to her. “Though, seeing you awake and chirping calms my conscious.”

“Chirping?”

“I do not want to see you this weekend,” she said and he was surprised how much that sentence hurt him. “Go to Patch and rest. Once you are better, we can go to that restaurant you want.”

Ah, the pain was dulling.

“Asking me on a date?”

Winter was at the door and turned to him with a frown, “is that your new ‘before I die’ wish?”

Qrow blinked, “what?”

“Take care,” she said and left.

Qrow swung his legs over the bed, feeling better due to his aura healing him swiftly, and was determined to catch up to Winter and ask her what she meant. Then, he remembered the softness of her full lips, the light, sweet taste and the rush of dopamine happiness and warmth that filled him like a bright light. 

He kissed her in the forest surrounded by grimm with no real warning and it was the best decision he had ever made.

Qrow lay back down slowly with a smile and was even slightly surprised that she didn’t hit him the moment he woke up.

“That’s how you taste,” he said out loud in awe and decided that his new wish was to be able to kiss her as often as he wanted to before he died.

He wondered how she would react once he told her his new wish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you for reading and commenting, and enjoying my headcanons for this ship.
> 
> Also, I hope you liked my "first kiss" scenario for Qrow and Winter. 
> 
> P.S. I also have, like 10 more chapters drafted and nearly ready for publishing. Warning, there will be smut soon...ish.


	13. Family Dinner

Qrow yawned as he made his way up the dirt path to the Xiao Long residence. He saw the peak of the large wood house appear from the curve of the path. Tall bare trees surrounded the home. It has been more than a month since he last seen his family – a few days passed since he was poisoned but they didn’t need to know that. From this distance, he saw the small figure of Ruby, his niece, practicing using the scythe he got her for Year End. When she took notice of his presence she ran towards him.

“It’s Uncle Qrow!” Ruby tackled his arm and Qrow kept trudging along as if she wasn’t there. “How are you? Where have you been? What did you see? What did you eat?” She spouted out, “Did you miss me?”

Qrow stared at her blandly before smiling, “No.”

“Uncle Qrow!” Yang popped her head out of the door, her blond hair tied up in a ponytail.

“Hey, there, Firecracker.”

"How was Haven?"

"Eh, boring."

"Can we fight?" Ruby asked, "I've been getting better!"

"Wait!" Yang ran out of the house, throwing a few punches into the air, "Me, too! I want to practice kicking Uncle Qrow's butt."

"All of which can be done after he rests up a bit," Taiyang stepped out of the house, his arms crossed. "Come on, girls, let your Uncle be and eat your lunch."

"Fine," Ruby marched into the house with a pout.

"Come on, Rubes. The faster we eat, the quicker we can fight Uncle Qrow!" Yang grinned, dragging Ruby to the kitchen.

"I said 'after he rests up,' girls!" Taiyang yelled after them and sighed as they ignored them. "Man, being strict is hard."

"Only because you're too soft," Qrow said, accepting the welcome hug Taiyang gave him.

"How was it?" Taiyang asked, patting Qrow's shoulder and pushing him towards the house.

"Eh, nothing out of the ordinary. How are things here?"

"Good besides Ruby begging me to let her attend Signal with Yang," Tai sighed, "that girl keeps forgetting she's only twelve."

“She has drive. That’s good in a huntress.”

“Yeah. Yeah.”

“What did you make for lunch?”

“Noodle salad with barbecue pork.”

“Did you overcook the noodles again?”

“Do you want to eat in this house again?”

Qrow laughed, following Taiyang inside. The day was spent catching up and smiling over their meals. It was a rare moment of peace for Qrow. When he came back inside from his match with Yang and Ruby, teaching both new fighting moves, Taiyang stood in front of the television.

“What are you watching?” Yang hopped over the sofa to land next to Zwei, their new corgi pup.

“Hm? Oh, it’s the International Opening of Remnant.”

“What’s that?” Ruby asked, sitting on the other side of the sofa.

“Once a year, the kingdoms come together to basically have a general meeting about state affairs.”

“Boring,” Yang slouched in her seat.

“Hey.”

“I agree,” Qrow yawned and slipped into the armchair.

“Qrow,” Taiyang frowned, “It may be boring but it’s important. These are the people that are representing our kingdoms. What they say affects us all.”

“So…don’t listen to Uncle Qrow?” Ruby grinned, watching as the ceremony was about to start. The announcers stated a huntress from Atlas would open the meeting with a performance of a traditional song based on Remnant’s tale of two brothers.

“Basically.” Taiyang huffed, “Really, Qrow. Be more aware of the girls, they’re still…Qrow? Qrow. Do not ignore me.”

Annoyed, Taiyang was about to mention the greying of hair on Qrow’s right temple when he noted a strange expression on his face. Taiyang had seen a variety of emotions on Qrow’s face; excitement when Ruby said she wanted to use a scythe as a weapon, pride when Yang won her first fight, glee when he was given an expensive bottle of whiskey for Year End, guilt when the topic of his sister came up but never had Taiyang seen an expression that was tender.

Stun at the look, Taiyang followed Qrow’s line of sight to the television. He blinked and realized Qrow was staring at the young woman that was singing on stage. She was refined and sophisticated. A beauty with a face that could have been carved from marble, blue eyes, white hair tied up in an elegant knot, and dressed in a long cream gown with accents of gold lace at the edges. However, what captivity Taiyang, along with the rest of the household, was her singing. It was a rich, clear, soothing but powerful voice that rang pure and harmonized with the melody of the piano.

The audience jumping out of their seats to clap took Taiyang out of his reverie. He saw the caption at the bottom identifying her as Winter Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. He heard Ruby and Yang chat about the song, praising the performance – Ruby even whining that she wished she could be able to sing like that. Taiyang looked back at Qrow, expecting the tender look from before to be gone already, but it remained until the young huntress walked off the stage.

Qrow’s smile grew a fracture then fell when he caught Taiyang looking at him. “What?”

“Help me make dinner,” Taiyang said, heading to the kitchen before Qrow could make an excuse.

“I thought you wanted to watch the meeting.”

“I do. I’ll watch a recording of it later.”

Qrow looked over the ingredients Taiyang was pulling out from the fridge and pantry, and took a seat at the table as he juggled peppers in the air with one hand. “What you want to talk about? Both you and I know I’m shit at cooking. So?”

“She’s young.”

“What?”

“Winter Schnee,” Taiyang said, ignoring the thundering of peppers falling to the floor. “The huntress you were gawking at and writing sonnets in your head for.”

“What are you talking about?” Qrow went to pick the peppers up.

“Never thought I’d see you so lovesick. You know she’s out of your league.”

“Tai.”

“If it was legal, I bet her family could buy the entire island of Patch if they wanted to.”

“Taiyang.”

“Also, physically, on a scale of one to ten, she’s beyond a ten while you’re hovering at a six.”

“Taiyang!”

“On a good day,” Taiyang continued with a grin.

“Are you done?”

“Yeah.”

Qrow sat back down with a scowl, “I know.”

“You mentioned you met someone last time you were here. Is that her?” Tai looked over at him, suppressing a laugh at the embarrassed grimace Qrow had. “I guess so. Is she nice?”

Qrow twisted his flask open and took a swing of his whiskey, “Yeah. Cold at first but she’s nice.”

“Spoiled?”

Qrow snorted, “You would think so, but no.”

“How old is she?” Taiyang saw Qrow begin to chop the peppers after washing them, barely hearing the answer. “What was that?”

“I said she’s twenty.”

“I have students that are thirteen,” Taiyang stammered, “If I had you as a student at thirteen, she would have been a newborn! You would have killed her.”

“I know,” Qrow glared at Taiyang, “but I didn’t meet her when she was a newborn. I met her last year.”

“Right,” Taiyang gave a short laugh, “I don’t know why that was a shock. Professor Clay was married to someone that was sixteen years her junior.” Taiyang went back to slicing onions and adding it to his broth. “Tell me about her.”

“There isn’t much to tell.”

“I know when you’re trying to avoid a conversation.”

There was a long moment of silence between them. The clinking of dishes and cutlery filled the room. Qrow mostly helped with cutting the vegetables and prepping the rice, and when he was setting the table, he spoke. “She has a temper.”

“What?”

“Winter. Normally, she’s reserved and cool but she has a temper. Oh, man, and if you say the right thing, it goes right off. It’s hilarious,” Qrow cracked a smile, “She has a sharp tongue. The kind where days will pass and you’ll suddenly realize she just insulted you, your honor, and your intelligence; I know because I’ve been on the receiving end of it more than once.

“She likes to spoil her little sister and brother with pastries because she has an unnatural liking to sweets. When we’re eating together and I see something on her plate that I like, she’ll just give it to me without a second thought. When she’s embarrassed, her ears turn red. She's also the type to buy boring gifts. She got me gloves because she saw me rub my hands together once and socks because I mentioned I only had two pairs left.

“Her family is old money rich; so, she has loads of fucking obligations and expectations she needs to meet. She’s always so composed, needing to keep the image her father wants and I…yeah.”

“Is that why you like pissing her off?”

Qrow tried to chuckle but it came out like a defeated huff, “Guess so.”

The smell of dinner wafting out of the kitchen and would soon call Ruby and Yang down to eat. Taiyang took out a jar of lemonade and placed it on the table and took a seat across from Qrow as the pot continued to boil.

“She must have a lot of guys trying to get her attention.”

“They’re like a swarm of flies.”

“Then, you must mean a lot to her if she’s willing to give you the time of day,“ Taiyang said, not missing the flicker of emotions on Qrow’s face. “You should bring her over for dinner some day.”

Qrow smiled and gave a small grunt, “I’ll think about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Also, a warm thank you Akira and Haley for always leaving me comments! I truly appreciate it. 
> 
> I'm thinking about changing the title. Any suggestions?
> 
> Sneak peek for next chapter: 
> 
> “You have never danced before, have you?” Winter closed her eyes at the comfort he brought to her, forgetting for a moment that she was in a room filled with masked vipers. 
> 
> “What gave it away?”
> 
> “This music is for waltzing.”
> 
> “And what am I doing?”
> 
> “Dancing with me.”


	14. Masquerade

She wore a mask made of antique gold lace and gems that curled up into a crescent on her left temple. Effectively hiding her identity to most if it wasn't for her the color of her hair. Winter watched wearily as Weiss was being paraded around the room by their father. She gave her first public performance today to a room of three hundred of the most influential political and social figures in Atlas. After hours of practice and a thirty-minute performance, Winter thought their father would allow Weiss to retire for the night.

She was only fourteen after all. 

But Winter was wrong.

Jacque Schnee introduced Weiss to the masses, allowed adults in masks to gawk at her and probe her with endless questions. Winter tried to talk to her father in letting Weiss return home with Klein, but he pushed her into a conversation with Perla Cho. The woman in a flamingo pink mask could talk about anything and everything, an impressive trait in Winter's opinion, but after another ten minutes, Winter had to excuse herself.

She avoided anyone that tried to catch her attention, dismissing them with a shake of her head and a comment that she needed to speak with her father. A few steps away, she was behind the tall figure of her father, his hair almost completely white from old age. His back was always imposing to her as a child but in her heels, she was almost at his height. Stepping back, she wondered when she stopped looking up at him. 

The cold night brushed against her and she turned to look at the crowd surrounding Weiss. She was so small, wearing a simpler silver mask. Winter went to her and intercepted the group with a small smile, “Pardon. I want to personally thank you all for attending my sister’s performance tonight, but I am afraid it is time for her to retire.”

“Oh, well, that’s quite alright,” a jolly middle-aged woman chuckled. She lowered her blue mask and smiled, “she had such a day. She must be tired. Heaven knows I would be.”

“Thank you for understanding, Lady Rayne” Winter nodded, “Weiss.”

Weiss looked up at Winter and smiled before curtsying to the group around her, “Thank you for coming.”

“Of course, it was an amazing performance. Rest well. We hope to catch another soon,” the same woman said. The rest followed suit, bidding their goodbyes before Winter guided Weiss to Klein with a steady hand.

“Weiss.”

“Yes?” 

“If Father asked why you left, please let him know I dismissed you.”

Weiss frowned, “But-”

“It’s alright,” Winter smiled, “you look lovely and performed well.”

Weiss smiled big, “Thank you! A-and you, too! I mean, you look pretty, too.”

“Thank you,” she tucked a strand of hair behind Weiss’ hair before calling for Klein who came moments later with Weiss’ coat in hand.

“Will you be leaving with us?” he asked, pushing his grey mask up.

“Afraid not,” Winter smoothed Weiss’ coat. “I still have some socializing I need to do. Please take Weiss home. She had a long day and needs her rest.”

“You need your rest, too,” Klein stated with a frown, his eyes turned red. “Always taking care of others, you should do more on taking care of yourself.” 

Winter smiled and pulled Klein’s mask down on his face, “I will. Goodnight.”

“Oh, I know a dismissal when I hear one,” he said with blue eyes this time, shaking his head at her. “Come, Snowflake. Let’s get you home.”

“Oh, um,” Weiss looked over her shoulder at Winter who stood still while the people around her buzzed. “Goodnight, Winter.”

“Goodnight, Weiss,” Winter answered, watching until they rounded the hall to go back to the party. Some of the guests were already drunk; spilling their drinks on the red carpet while others took to the dance floor to sway with the orchestra. Winter settled her hand over her stomach, smiling at those who greeted her in passing.

She was heading to grab a glass of water when her father spotted her and waved her over, "Winnie, there you are. Where you have gone off to, child?”

“I was just walking the room is all,” Winter answered, greeting her father’s associates.

“Greetings to you, Winter, the Swan of Atlas,” Mimes Craft said with a bow, using the name the media had given her when she first performed when she was Weiss’ age. “When shall you have another grand performance? The Opening of Remnant was,” he sighed, “exquisite.”

“Soon,” Jacque answered, “Since Winnie is in her last year at the Academy, she’s been quite busy.”

“I see! Jacque…you must be so proud. Your daughters are getting lovelier by the day. They are the spitting image of Willow.” Mimes stated, smoothing the tip of his mustache.

“I thank my blessing that they not only received my wife’s beauty but my intelligence and tenacity.”

“True. True. Say, where is your youngest daughter?”

“Where is she?” Jacque looked around for his youngest daughter.

“I sent her home,” Winter said.

“Home?” Jacque repeated with a rage-induced smile. 

"Yes. She looked quite tired after the performance."

"She did have an exciting day," Mimes agreed.

"I agree and due to the tremendous job on her performance, I gave her the rest of the night off."

Jacque's eyes hardened, looking down at Winter and she saw all the kindness he crafted vanish, his eyes almost a steel grey like his mask, "Oh? You sent her home?” He detached them from the group, firmly leading her towards the tall windows.

“I did.”

“You have no right to do that, to speak against me,” Jacque snarled. He looked up from behind her and waved at someone, giving her a cruel smile, “Winnie, be a doll and dance with Charles Lapis."

“Father-”

"I won’t tolerate this disobedience," Jacque nearly seethed. “Do as I say or there will be consequences for you and your sister.” 

“Yes, Father.”

“Liam. Charles,” Jacque turned to the pair that walked towards them, “Delighted to see you two again.”

“The pleasure is ours,” Liam stated. Winter held her tongue and turned around to face Charles Lapis, heir to the Lapis Energy Company, and his father, Liam, who was a stout man with green eyes. “Greeting, Winter. You look beautiful tonight.”

“Thank you,” Winter said politely in the trained manner she had cultivated for years.

Charles stepped forward and grabbed her hand, the corners of his eyes curving, “It’s been a while, Winter.”

Not long enough, she wanted to say. “It has.”

Like her, his appearance was the epitome of the wealthy class of Atlas. He was tall with brown hair perfectly styled; his suit was from this season, ironed and well fitted. His leather gloves matched his shoes and belt, and his mask was the color of orange that flickered in a flame.

“You look as lovely as always. The Swan of Atlas,” he said. “Truly a fitting title for you.”

“Thank you,” Winter smiled, feeling the room vanish for a moment to reveal the dining room at the Lapis Estate.

She recently turned fifteen at the time, attending a dinner by herself with a boy that was three years older than her. She remembered the red wallpaper and cool wood dining table with matching chairs. The smell of roast beef lingered, mixing with the smoke of the burning candles. She liked being able to see the grove of orange trees beyond the windows.

The lecture her father gave to her an hour prior rang in her head. He wanted Charles to be her betrothed, as it would bring an alliance between the Schnee Dust Company and the Lapis Energy Company. It would have been a remarkable political and financial move on both ends.

She remembered the White Fang destroyed a cargo ship of dust that week, and she wanted to make this dinner successful. He was taking his frustration and anger out on their family, and she thought if she could do the right thing and please him; he wouldn’t be upset with them anymore. So, she focused on the orange trees when Charles Lapis slammed her against the wall, his hands were free from their gloves and he used his semblance to drain her aura.

Fear immobilized her, wanting to please her father immobilized her, and for a moment, it did.

Then, she saw a white bird fly across the window and she used the last of her aura to summon a beowolf to attack Charles. Winter mustered the remaining strength she had and ran out of the dining room, left the Lapis Estate, and went home. Her father and mother met her at the door when she arrived; Weiss and Whitely peered over the staircase railings.

It was a shock to them all when Jacque backhanded her and declared her a disgrace.

After that night, Charles stalked her. Some months were quiet while others he would appear five times a week, leaving her notes or sending her gifts. Her father did nothing about it. She never allowed Weiss of Whitely to meet him or anyone at Lapis.

That fear, rage, and resentment she felt were bottled into determination to improve in every aspect she could, to rely only on herself and to watch out for her own. She became the best in her studies and training. Handled herself with poise and dignity, needing to enchant every single business partners of her father's and take every dinner invitation, to ensure Weiss and Whitely were not options.

So they won’t be further exposed to men like Lapis.

She was in control for so long.

She was nearly perfect.

“Shall we dance?” Charles asked, his hand offered to her. Winter allowed him to lead her to the dance floor, to be twirled under the grand chandelier. “Your aura, it still smells and sings as beautiful as that day. I’ll never forget that taste.”

The fire in her burned cold and she bit back the need to rip herself away from him and thrust her saber through his head. She looked out the window, seeing the rows of Magnolias trees gleaming under the moonlight and met the gaze of a crow. She was twirled and the crow was gone. Charles pressed her close to him, his hand on her lower back and fingers clasped tightly over hers.

She felt disgusting.

“Can I cut in?”

Winter turned to the man before them and held her relief behind her cold façade. Qrow was dressed formally in a suit and tie – again it was a sloppy knot – and went with a simple velvet black mask. There was no ounce of creative at all.

Charles frowned but politeness overtook in the light of the public, and he let her go. “Of course…?”

“Colonel Gen from Vacuo.”

“You’re not in uniform.”

“Most aren’t in Vacuo.”

“Ah, that’s right. Well, then, I will see you soon, Winter,” Charles, bring her hand to his lips, “Thank you for the dance.”

“And I to you,” Winter responded passively and Charles left. They both watched as he went to grab a drink from the bar, stopping to greet an acquaintance of his. She stiffened when a hand encompassed hers.

“Relax, Snow Queen. It’s just me,” Qrow reassured her.

Winter nodded, “For someone whose semblance is bad luck, you certainly bring a lot of good luck to me.”

“That’s a first,” Qrow chuckled and untied her mask, letting the skin underneath to breath. She reached up, wondering if something was wrong with it but he shook his head as he re-tied it on her arm. “I just prefer seeing you without a mask.”

“Charming.”

“And handsome.”

Winter smiled, relieved that he was here.

Someone safe was here.

The thought of proper form and distance did not accord to her as she stepped into his arms. She curled her hand over his gently, feeling him pull it close to his chest, and she leaned a little closer, burying her face into the juncture of his shoulder and neck. She would never admit it, but she was practically melting into his embrace as they swayed to the soft tempo of the music.

“You have never danced before, have you?” Winter closed her eyes, forgetting for a moment that she was in a room filled with masked vipers.

“What gave it away?”

“This music is for waltzing.”

“And what am I doing?”

“Dancing with me.”

“Seems like you prefer dancing with me than waltzing.”

“I do.”

“Do you prefer dancing with me over other men?”

“Are you trying to inflate your ego?”

“Always,” he danced them towards the balcony. “So?” he nestled his cheek against the side of her head and she leaned up to meet the touch instinctually, gently. 

“I do.”

“I know,” he said, feeling her delicate snort against his shoulder.

“Do not get ahead of yourself.”

“Already am.” 

“Qrow.”

“I think you’re falling for me.”

She scoffed this time, not wanting to deny it nor confirm it. Instead, she followed his swaying steps. She wasn’t paying attention to her surrounding until she felt the temperature drop and cold air skim across her back. “Why are we outside?”

“To get away from those jackasses,” Qrow answered. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice us dancing our way here.”

“No.”

“Were my good looks distracting you?”

“Hardly,” She went to fix his tie, smoothing the wrinkles the best she could before retying it for him.

“How domestic.”

“Agreed. You are like a child.” 

“You can be annoying, sometimes. You know that?”

“Did not realize I can get under your skin so easily.”

“Too easily, if you ask me,” he muttered, feeling her smooth the neatly knotted tie over his chest. “Come on,” he led her to the side of the balcony where there was a set of staircases leading to the first floor.

“Where are we going, Colonel?”

He glanced up at her with a smirk, “Impress with my title?”

“Your lies never cease to amaze me.”

He winked at her, “The gardens. They’re empty.”

“That is quite an illicit statement. Should I be vigilant of you, Branwen?”

“Always," he said. They thought back to the kiss all those weeks ago, both wanting another taste. There was a loud crash and thunderous glass shards hitting the floor that came from inside, surprising them.

Winter huffed, “They are as rowdy as ever.”

“True, but hey, at least we’re not paying, so who cares?”

She smiled despite trying to maintain a composed appearance, but it always failed when she was around him. She tightened her hold on his elbow as she matched his steps. “What are you even doing here?”

“I went home to Patch, like you demanded, accepted and completed a mission early, and decided I wanted to see you.”

“How kind of you.”

“Not really,” he said, looking back down at her with mirth. Whenever he visited, he always worried his semblance would harm her and he knew - he knew - that he should keep her at a distance. But he craved to be with her constantly and that craving always suppressed his fear. So, no. He wasn’t kind. “I’m greedy,” he said, “and I want to see you as often as I can.

“Who am I to stop you, then?”

He brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. “You look nice,” he said. “Like one of those pompous Mantle’s doll.”

Winter narrowed her eyes, “Your insults are not as clever as your namesake.” 

“Didn’t mean for it to be an insult,” he chuckled

“Sounded like one.” 

“I guess for someone who’s been paraded around like a doll, it looks like it, doesn’t it?”

He tilted his head to look at her. Again, she was dressed in clothing that alluded to the traditional grabs of Mantle royalty. A simple cream silk fabric that settled refreshingly on her body mixed with a sheer material that covered her arms and back, overlaying on top of the silk for a moment before a complex blue thread design brought them together. Even the mask tied the illusion together.

“You really do look nice.”

“Thank you,” she said after a moment. “As do you.”

“Calling me handsome?”

“I am saying you actually look like you made some effort in your appearance, for once.”

“So, handsome?” 

“Hm, I say decent,” she teased and stifled a laugh at his snort.

They continued the path to the gardens that were lit with fairy lights and heated lamps. The lights behind her cast a halo around her and he forgot, as he always did when he was away from her, how beautiful she was.

“How do you feel?” she asked. “Did the wound heal well?”

“I’m good and it healed up quickly. Even more so after I saw some nurses in their short skirts.” Winter pushed him into a bush and kept walking. He was howling in laughter and stood up, brushing leaves and some twigs out of his hair and clothes. Catching up to her, he wrapped an arm around her waist and she shoved him again but he dragged her back to him.

“Unhand me, Branwen.” 

“I’m joking,” he said against her shoulders, trying to control his snickering.

“I do not care. Let go, you vain, ill-natured varlot.”

“I’m sorry,” he said but chuckles were still littering between the words. She was about to spurt out another insult when he leaned down, his lips almost on hers and the distance caused her to halt and blink dumbly at him. “I never said thank you for saving my ass, did I?”

“No,” she said after a moment.

“Thank you.”

“What a rare delight. If only it was not bittered with your previous comment,” she pushed him and used a glyph to twist him around away from her.

“Winter,” he said her name in a hard tone but the mirth was still there. “Hey.”

“What?” She spun on her feet.

He gestured for her hand and she gave it to him after glaring at his for a few seconds. Tightening his hold on it, he pulled her towards him, “come here.”

Winter frowned, feeling his hands palming her waist. His breath curled across the top of her cheek. She felt a longing in her to press against him once more. Become surrounded by his warm, his rich spicy scent of sandalwood and deep whiskey. He was standing so close and she wondered if he could hear her heart pounding in her chest. He gave her that supercilious grin once more with an apology slipping out, and Winter surrendered to the roaring emotions inside of her.

She leaned up to close the final centimeters between them and kissed him. Her eyes shutting as he pressed into her gently. She felt his lips curled in a smile and she could not help but match it. They felt warm despite the final winter snowfall drifting down around them. Another crash of glass came from inside and she pulled away first in surprise. Blushing, she smoothed her dress and took a step back from him.

“You taste like champagne,” he said, licking his lips and smirked at her embarrassed glare. “How were you holding up in there?” He asked warmly, offering her his arm. They resumed their way to the gardens. “I was there for a few minutes and felt like I was being suffocated.”

“As expected.” 

He frowned at her answer, “What does that mean?”

“That it went as expected.”

“We got to expand that vocabulary of yours,” he frowned, “Who was Leather Hands anyways?”

“Charles Lapis.”

“Don’t like him.”

"Oh? Why’s that?” 

“Besides dressing in a tacky, brown yolk-colored suit and making you uncomfortable,” Qrow stopped, bringing her close again until her lashes brushed against his jaw, “this distance…does not belong to him.”

“Whom should it belong to?”

He grinned, leaving her question to the wind, and walked down the path again, descending another set of stairs. “Seems like you hate him. Did he do something to you?”

The pleasantry she was feeling was ripped away. Winter took her hand off of him. “Why do you ask that?”

“Because I know you,” he said, “So what did he do?"

"Nothing."

"Hey. You know you can tell me.”

She studied him and lifted her head up just a tad, “Why should I?”

“Why? It’s because I care about you,” Qrow frowned, seeing that she didn’t find truth in his statement, seeing her reconstruct walls around herself. “You can’t find that so hard to believe.”

Winter felt her anger bubbled, “Why do you find it so easy?”

“It’s never been easy,” Qrow nearly shouted and there was a heavy moment of silence between them. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “It’s not. Caring for someone means to be vulnerable towards them and that’s…fucking scary, and I’ve seen and been through when caring for someone ends badly.”

“Why me, then?” she asked, looking down at him from her place on the staircase. “I have nothing truly valuable to offer you.”

He snorted, “I think it’s the other way around.”

“No,” she disagreed, her voice heavy and but soft. “It is not.” 

“Well,” he gave her a smile, “Because you’re you.”

“That is not a good answer.”

“It’s not,” he agreed. “Winter.”

“Yes?”

“Do you care about me?”

Winter pursed her lips, feeling the vulnerability he spoke off and wondered if it was too late to run back inside to the world she was accustomed to, to the walls that had painted smiles. He asked again and she nodded, “I do.”

“And why’s that?” It became too much, she felt too much, so she turned to walk back upstairs but he twisted her around. “Winter.”

“I,” she looked down at their hands and felt a plethora of emotions, “I like your company.”

“And I like yours,” he said, hoping she would understand. “Do you really think I don’t care about you?”

“I rarely… know what to be cared for means.”

“I’ll show you,” Qrow said, “Everyday for the rest of my life if need be. I’ll show you to the point you’ll be sick of it.”

Her heart thundered, her blood was coursing hotly under her skin. She wanted to believe him and despite her instinct telling her, no, to run and to remain detached, remain in the world she grew up in; she walked down the two steps separating them.

“That sounds like an inconvenience.” 

“Yeah, it is. But I’m going to do it,” he said, bring his arms around her.

“Why is it not easy?” she asked, not expecting him to answer.

“People are assholes and hurt each other way too easily. That’s why.”

“And you will not hurt me?”

“I probably will unintentionally. I’m not good at thinking before I speak.”

Winter gave another delicate snort, “I have not noticed.”

“Yeah?” He grinned, breathing in her aroma of lilies. “Winter.”

“Hm?” 

“I will always have the best intentions for you.” Qrow looked up at the night sky, tightening his arms around her, “And sometimes they can be wrong because Gods know I make mistakes, but I care about you and meeting you…was one of the best things that have ever happened to me.”

Winter shut her eyes, burying herself in his embrace, afraid of what she was feeling and what it meant, but she wanted to answer him honestly and to the best of her abilities.

“Me too,” she said in a small voice.

And it was good enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and for all of your kind comments and kudos!
> 
> Sneak Peek of the next chapter:
> 
> “Doesn’t matter. She’s a Schnee.”
> 
> “Really? This again?”
> 
> “Qrow-”
> 
> “So what if she’s a Schnee?”
> 
> “You two are from two different social circles!” Ironwood slammed his hands on his desk. “She’s related to nobility. She’s practically a princess here at Atlas. Her father would never approve of you.”


	15. Flower Day

The room was heavy from Ironwood’s anger and Winter’s mortification. Qrow, however, was disinterested and felt slightly bad, only slightly, at getting Winter in trouble with Ironwood, but seriously, it wasn’t as bad as the old Headmaster was making it be.

“Winter, we will discuss your punishment later. For now, you are dismissed,” Ironwood stated.

Winter nodded and turned to walk out of Ironwood’s office, scowling at Qrow who threw a wink and smirk at her as she walked passed him. He followed her figure until she left despite Ironwood's sharp cough.

“What?”

“I expected better from you.”

“Calm down,” Qrow went to sit down, “it was just some training.”

“You two practically destroyed the garden courtyard!”

“It was only a pillar and some bushes.”

Ironwood sighed and sat in his own chair, rubbing his temple. “Are you drunk again?”

“If you call one drink as being drunk.”

Ironwood frowned, not finding the amusement in his statement. “What was the purpose of confronting her?”

“Confronting?” Qrow grinned, “I was testing her.”

“More like antagonizing," Ironwood scoffed, "You’ve read her reports and seen her on missions. You seriously doubted her skills?”

“No. I just wanted to see how far I could piss her off until she drew her sword.” He rubbed his side where she landed a hit.

“You’re a twelve-year-old boy,” Ironwood groaned. “Why are you even here? You already gave your reports. Weren’t you supposed to return to Vale this morning?”

“It’s Flowers Day.”

“And?”

“I’m treating Snow Queen to dinner.”

“Did I not warn you to not fraternized with my students?” Ironwood scowled.

“Yeah, and I took it as such and decided to ignore it.”

“You’re a teacher.”

“At Signal which is in a different country and a different grade level.”

“Why? Why her?”

Qrow reached for Ironwood’s cup of scotch on the table and drank from it, “She’s fun, nice, and easy on the eyes.”

“Fun?”

“I know. Surprising.”

“Doesn’t matter. She’s a Schnee.”

“Really? This again?”

“Qrow-”

“So what if she’s a Schnee?”

“You two are from two different social circles!” Ironwood slammed his hands on his desk. “She’s related to nobility. She’s practically a princess here at Atlas. Her father would never approve of you.”

“I know he won’t, but I’m not seeking her old man’s approval or yours,” Qrow snarled back, slamming the cup on Ironwood’s desk, not caring that it cracked into two. “The only person’s opinion that matters to me on this subject is Winter’s.”

“So you two are dating?”

“We’re not,” Qrow stated, “At least not yet.”

They glared at each other, their hands twitching to reach for their weapons as the air between them sparked. Ironwood inhaled and resettled in his chair. “You’re making the greatest mistake in your life.”

“Not fighting for her would be the greatest mistake in my life.”

“Why Winter? Why not another woman? There are plenty out there who are ready to –”

“There isn’t anyone out there like her.”

“Think this through!”

“I am and don’t think for a damn second I don’t know why you’re so fucking against me! Winter’s future is not something you or the Atlas Military can fucking claim like one of Mantel's indigenous civilization to do as you please!” 

“It's not yours to claim either!”

“We’re done,” Qrow snarled, his semblance flared and Ironwood’s coffee table broke behind him. She turned to leave, slamming the door behind him.

Ironwood watched as the frame next to the door crash to the floor. He sat back down and sighed. That was not how he wanted the conversation to go.

~o~o~o~o~

“Once more, I must sincerely apologize, Mr. Lewis,” Winter sighed, looking around the courtyard as a summoned beowolf collected the last chunk of the broken pillar.

“Oh, no worries,” Lewis, the elderly gardener grinned at her, sweeping the debris into a pan she was holding steady for him. “Watching you and your boyfriend’s love quarrel reminded me of my honey. We used to have squabbles like that all the time. Just remember to kiss and makeup before the end of the day. It’s never good to go to bed angry.”

“Thank you for the council, but, um, he is not my boyfriend,” she said, throwing the rubble and dust into the trash bag he brought.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“But you two look good together.”

“Do not tell him that,” Winter huffed delicately, “It will simply give him ideas.”

“The way he looks at you, I’m sure he already has those ideas brewing,” Lewis crackled happily.

“Mr. Lewis-”

“Look at the time. I think we’re done for the day,” Lewis sighed and dusted himself off. “I appreciate all the help.”

Winter took off the garden gloves he leaned to her and set it in his red bucket. “May I help tomorrow?”

“No. No. You’re not meant to tend to the gardens, Miss Winter. Only admire them,” Lewis placed his tools in his cart alongside the red bucket.

“I would still like to help.”

“You saved me a lot of time already by helping me with the cleanup, and that’s enough. I’ll have a team tomorrow to finish the rest,” Lewis patted her head and gave a chuckle as he gestured behind her. “Looks like your boyfriend is ready to make up with you.”

“He is not,” She frowned and turned around, seeing Qrow waiting at the upper level of the courtyard. He waved at Lewis, yelling he was sorry for the mess, before beckoning at Winter to come over.

“I hope you two make-up and enjoy tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“It’s Flowers Day,” Lewis grinned, passing Winter her backpack. “Don’t forget to send those lanterns off.”

Winter hummed in response and said goodbye to Lewis. Venturing up the stair, she huffed at Qrow’s grin but then stopped as she saw something amidst. “What is it?”

“Nothing. Come on,” he said, “let’s get something to eat.”

She frowned, not believing him for a second but decided not to push the matter at the moment. “What did Headmaster Ironwood say?”

“He gave me detention,” he took her backpack from her and swung it over his shoulder. Carrying it for her like he always did.

“I believe I will get detention. Not you.”

They walked out of Atlas Academy, heading straight to downtown when he spoke. “Winter.”

“Hm?”

“If you hate me, you’d tell me, right?”

“Immediately,” she answered.

Qrow laughed, “Straight to the point.”

“You asked."

“And if you hated me, you wouldn’t put up with me, right?”

“Where is all this coming from?”

“I just wanted to make sure.”

“Make what sure?”

“That I’m not pushing my luck with you.”

Winter exhaled softly, “I thought I already told you I like your company. If I did not, I would have put you in your place already. Come now. The noodle restaurant that opened is close by and I want-Qrow!”

He pulled her down the path to an Atlas' public garden; a path that would lead them towards the restaurant but it was a detour. Winter let herself be dragged through the garden after realizing he won’t answer to her calls. He led her into the maze. The hedges were tall. A few feet over their heads. They were able to hear a few people but most would not be in this section of the garden so late. When his grip loosened, his pace slowed, she moved to grab his elbow and walked next to him.

"I," he began after a long moment of silence and sighed, stopping to turn to her. But he wouldn't look at her. His semblance flared and her hair ribbon came undone from its steady knot. "Winter, I," He cursed, unable to complete the sentence. He wilted, pressing his forehead on her shoulder.

Winter closed her eyes; smoothed her hand over his shoulder and cheek. Turning his face to hers, she kissed him lightly with a touch of shyness. "Do not assume, for even one second, that I do not know what I want."

“Yeah?” 

"Yes."

He embraced her tightly, "I want you, too."

"I have noticed," she said, embarrassment painted her voice but he heard the humor tickling her tone.

“Hey,” he smiled down at her before kissing her, a little firmer than the one she gave him. His hand buried into her hair and he gripped her hips steadily.

Winter felt a familiar heat flare in her; similar to when he would touch her in indecorous areas like her waist or hips. Gods, she still had to hide her face when she remembered the time he groped her thigh under her skirt. He said it was an accident, but the lecherous grin spoke differently. That same heat appeared inside of her, but more intense and overwhelming.

It inflamed when the kiss became fierce, he bit her lower lip and dominated her. She whimpered, making him chuckle and kiss her deeper. She was lost in him that she did not notice being pressed into an archway, her own arms wrapped around his shoulders until a laugh ripped through the junction. Winter pushed him away, red and panting, and almost hitting Qrow who laughed. The other laugh, the one she heard earlier, drifted away, not entering the section they were and she sighed.

"I will remove your tongue if you do not hold it," she stated, pulling his cheek as he continued to chuckle.

"Come and take it," he grinned, his hands on her waist again until her stomach grumbled. He glanced down. "Hungry?"

"I am. Since you promised to take me to the new noodle restaurant, I skipped lunch."

"You call me a glutton.”

“No, I call you a vain, ill-natured varlot.”

“Lucky for you, I always keep my promises.” He went on, ignoring her. “Let's get some food in you, then."

“I want dumplings, too.”

“Whatever you want,” He tucked her hand on his elbow and led her out of the maze. "Afterwards, we’re going to the river.”

“The river?” She perked an eyebrow at him.

“I got us some lanterns."

It was a tradition in Atlas on Flowers Day to send lanterns down into the sea with a significant other. It was tied to a legend of an old king who waited for his wife to return home and used lanterns to guide her back to him until one day he died. His body was sent out to sea in a glory of flames in hopes to be reunited with his wife.

"Those...are for couples."

"I know."

“Qrow…we are not a couple.”

He looked down at her with a soft expression, “Yeah?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading!
> 
> Also, I hope you guys like my headcanon of Winter being a foodie kind of person and generally a reserved person who is soft in the inside. 
> 
> Sneak peek:
> 
> Qrow took off his smallest ring, “Winter Schnee, will you marry me?”
> 
> “Oh, Gods,” Ironwood covered his face with one hand.
> 
> Winter looked at the ring and then to Qrow, “Not good enough.”
> 
> “What do you mean it wasn’t good enough?” Qrow asked indignantly. 
> 
> “It wasn’t,” she pointed to the ground, “On your knee and say it like you mean it.”


	16. Mission | Part I of IX

"He's the only one person I can recommend."

"You're lying," Ironwood said firmly, tightening his grip on his scroll. "You have at your disposal more than 50 huntsmen and huntresses that are qualified for this."

"True, but half of them are already paired, a quarter of them are at her level or a little lower, so she won't be challenged, and those that are a little above her level are on their own missions already," Ozpin explained, watching as Glynda rolled her eyes at him. "What happened to the one you originally wanted her to be paired up with?"

"She got injured the day before yesterday," Ironwood said, nearly groaning in annoyance. "The other two I had lined up as backup got paired the week prior with other teams."

"And now you have no one to mentor Ms. Schnee for her mandatory two-month mission," Ozpin smiled, "Hm, she needs to complete that to graduate, doesn't she?"

"You know she does."

"And you can't give a simple mission, can you?"

"You know I can't. If I do, I would fail as a headmaster, professor, and general. I need a tier A mission to challenge her, give her experience, and prepare her for the missions she most likely will acquire in her career as a huntress."

"Agreed."

"And I can't assign her one if I don't have a veteran huntsman or huntress to monitor her," Ironwood grumbled.

"Agreed," Ozpin nodded.

"And I refuse to believe that the only person you have available is Qrow."

"Have you seek a huntsman for her from Haven or Shade?"

Ironwood rubbed his temples, “Yes.”

“And?”

“Too last minute for the former and the latter didn’t have tier A missions,” Ironwood nearly snapped. He thought of Qrow, knowing that drunk only took tier A missions for Ozpin and had one lined up starting on Monday. A mission that would be perfect for Winter to experience.

"He won't agree to it," Ironwood said after a moment. Qrow hasn’t been on a group mission since team STRQ officially disbanded more than a decade year ago.

"Unless I assigned it to him," Ozpin stated, pleased that the Atlas headmaster was open to the possibility of Qrow being Winter's mentor.

“He won’t do it. Last time we spoke it ended badly.”

“Why’s that?”

“I told him he wasn’t good enough for Winter.”

Ozpin hummed, “Well, that wasn’t wise.”

“Agreed,” Ironwood sighed, “He accused me of grooming Winter to join the Atlas army…and he’s right. I am.” Ironwood looked over the open profiles of huntsmen and huntresses on his desk, each one skilled and trained but not at the caliber he believed would improve Winter. "Asked," Ironwood bit out, "If he agrees to it, then I'll agree to it."

"Already did and he does," Ozpin smiled happily.

Ironwood placed his scroll on his desk and took a deep breath to calm himself. He looked out the window to the Atlas landscape and counted to five before grabbing the scroll again. "I do not like being made a fool." 

"No one is making you out as a fool," Ozpin said calmly, "I simply wanted to make sure Qrow was available and agreed to it before offering this option to you. I would hate to have another huntsman fall through for Miss Schnee."

"Thanks." Ironwood tapped his desk in thought, “You don’t think he won’t do anything on the mission?”

“I think they are both adults.”

“He’s going to be her mentor.”

“The lines are blurred there, I agreed. But, again, they are adults and he is not her professor. He won’t be grading her on her performance. Just giving her a review and we both know that review is going to be positive regardless who the mentor is. Now, the mission will take place in Vale. Can I expect her here Monday morning at nine? That would give her the weekend to prepare."

"Yes."

"Excellent. I will pass the news to Qrow."

"And I with Winter."

The conversation ended and Ironwood rubbed his temples before asking Ms. Nausicaa to update Winter's mission assignment to reflect the conversation he had with Ozpin. He would personally contact Winter tomorrow morning during her study period to inform her of the new two-month mission she will be assigned. He would give her the option to decline it. For a second, Ironwood thought to call Qrow and warn against any unprofessional conduct made towards Winter, but felt that would have no effect, or worse, the opposite effect.

"Is this a bad idea?" he asked to no one.

~o~o~o~o~ 

"This is a bad idea," Glynda said, crossing her arms over her chest. "You have seen the way he’s around her. He'll either flirt with her or goad her into sparring matches the entire time."

"I doubt it would be the entire time." Ozpin looked over at her, obviously pleased with the result of the phone call.

"Ozpin!"

He smiled pleasantly, "it will be fine. Trust me."

“Why do you always like to play matchmaker?”

“Not always. Only when I see a good match,” he reasoned. “Being as old as I am, I cannot help but want those around me to experience happiness, and even more so when there is someone that can share with that happiness in a consummated level.”

Glynda frowned, not wanting to verbally agree with him, "Will you tell him or shall I?"

"I will," Ozpin said.

Glynda sighed loudly one last time and left the room, leaving Ozpin alone with his thoughts and cup of coffee. The sun rose and sank and soon the weekend was over. Ozpin stood in the courtyard of Beacon with Glynda by his side. He had a mug of freshly made hot chocolate in hand, about to take a sip, when he heard Glynda’s growl in irritation.

“Not even nine and he’s already drinking,” she muttered.

Qrow was sauntering his way to them, yawning loudly with a flask in hand. He swirled it and took a drink before greeting them. “Morning.”

“Good morning,” Ozpin greeted pleasantly.

“Good morning,” Glynda said, “You’re surprisingly early.”

“Got to make a good impression on Papa Jimmy,” Qrow said, readjusting his rucksack on his back as a single Atlas airship flew over Beacon.

The airship hovered over the courtyard for a moment before it landed. The cabin door opened smoothly, revealing Ironwood in his crisp and ironed military suit and his arms pressed behind his back. Winter was on his left, her posture similar but her arms rested a little lower, making her appear softer next to the Atlas Headmaster. The group of Atlas soldiers standing behind them in a straight line brought uniformity.

“Good morning,” Ironwood led the group out of the airship. Winter repeated the greeting formally.

Qrow instantly took notice of her clothing. Instead of her school uniform, she wore her combat clothing that consisted of a high-waist pleated skirt, a navy blue V-neck vest over a long-sleeved white blouse with a ruffled bib, and black thigh-high boots. Her backpack was surprisingly smaller than his and he noted her hair was styled high in a simple bun. As always when she wore this outfit, he stared openly at the sliver of skin peeking between the top of her boots and the bottom of her skirt until Ozpin hit the back his leg.

Ozpin stepped forward, “Good morning, James. Miss Winter. I hope your flight here went well.”

“It did,” Ironwood nodded and stepped aside to allow Winter to take a step forward. “I am here to drop off Winter Schnee for her required senior mission with…Qrow Branwen.”

“I can see the pain in your voice,” Qrow grinned.

“Shall we head to my office to go over the assignment,” Ozpin gestured towards Beacon’s main campus building. Ironwood and Ozpin headed the group, talking to each other regarding news of a herd of grimm in a village in Vacuo. Glynda stayed behind to scold some students while Qrow and Winter walked paces behind the headmasters.

Winter rolled her eyes at Qrow’s snickering comment, “Yes, I am puttering around in excitement.” 

Qrow smirked, “Not surprised. I turn down at least twenty groups each year who want me as their mentor.” Winter gazed up at him and hummed, making him frown. “What is it?”

“I was thinking that if you were as important as you say you are, you would be a lot quieter.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me?”

“I would never. It is simply concerning that my complete lack of interest in your existence conflicts with your delusions of self-importance.” Winter’s lips twitched into a smile for a second before she schooled her expression and went on.

“That’s a bold lie.”

“What is?”

He bent down, catching her off-guard, his face was mere inches away from hers, “That you have a complete lack of interest in me.”

Her ears turned red and she pushed him away, hurrying her steps. He saw her throw a glance his way, one that held a question that she seemed to refuse to ask. So, he sped up to reach her easily, his strides were longer than hers.

“That look. What was it,” he asked, smirking at the unimpressed expression she threw at him, “Not that one.” 

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

“Winter.”

“After refusing all of those students to being their mentors. Why accept me?”

“Three reasons,” he said, holding three fingers up and allowing her to walk in front of him by a few steps, “The first, and most important reason, is your hip-to-waist ratio.” Qrow caught her backpack that she threw at him. “It’s pleasing to the eyes and to my hands.”

“Branwen,” Winter marched to him and he skipped a few steps back to be out of her range.

“They’re going to notice.”

Winter stopped and huffed, pivoting on her heel to resume following the Headmasters. 

“Number two-”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“I don’t need to worry about you not keeping up with me. And, lastly, I like having you around,” he finished. 

There was an insult on the tip of her tongue that she kept to herself as they were entering the elevator with Ozpin and Ironwood. She kept silent as they took the elevator up to Ozpin’s office, ignoring the wink he shot at her and thought about the upcoming two months. 

When Ironwood told her of the mission she was going to be assigned to with Qrow as her mentor, she thought of the massive headaches he was going to give her. Then, while finalizing her essay for a literature class, the topic of romance she was writing about collided with her reality.

Qrow had made it clear what he felt about her, which was not platonic or camaraderie. Even after they kissed, she kept telling herself there would be nothing between them. She could not feel that way about him and neither could he. He was just a flirty huntsman with a drinking problem and she was an overly ambitious student with a need to prove herself to everyone. It would never work. So, with that in mind, she attempted to push him and any possibility of him in a romantic prospect out of her mind.

But, he said he loved her.

Not her family’s name.

Not her family’s influence.

Not her family’s fortune.

He loved her.

And as before, whenever he spoke to her, he made her rethink her choices, made her doubt the future she was constructing, made her reevaluate the reasoning she established as to why she could not feel something for him. He washed away all those expectations with simple words and explanations, revealing in its wake the truth she had been trying to avoid and bury. 

"Well then," Ozpin walked around his desk and pulled up the assignment on his computer screen, sending it to them all. "Shall we go over the assignment?"

"Shoot," Qrow said disinterestedly, handing Winter back her brown leather backpack.

"This assignment will have a mixture of search and destroy, perimeter defense, village security, and intel gathering. We have estimated that it will take seven to nine weeks at most to complete the entire mission; this includes travel time from Beacon to the Village of Row in the Unland region of Vale. Normally, going as who you are would be fine if it wasn't for the intel portion of this mission."

Ironwood looked wearily at Ozpin, "What identities are you suggesting they take?"

"No worries, it won't be something too far-fetched from what they are right now," Ozpin waved him off.

"What kind of intel," Qrow asked, his demeanor changed. The relax posture he had become rigid.

"The kind that Miss Schnee will be involved with in retrieving when she becomes a graduated huntress," Ozpin explained calmly. "Now, in the Village of Row, there is a man there that goes by Aspen. He is a rising crime lord and has ties to political parties in Vale that are against the civil rights of faunas. Aspen has information regarding an upcoming attack on the village of Barznas that will frame the faunas in that city as the assailants. Not only do I want dates and information regarding the attack, but I also want to know what other information Aspen is carrying." Ozpin finished, looking pointedly at Qrow.

"Sounds easy," Qrow nodded.

“What about reporting?” Ironwood asked.

"This is a mission dealing with gathering intel, so we will not expect periodic updates unless it is pressed for time," Ozpin said, perking an eyebrow at Ironwood's scowl. "As for the identities you two will be donning, you will be going undercover as married huntsmen, Aplonis and Zima Starling."

"Ozpin," Ironwood interrupted, watching the pleased smirk curl on Qrow's face.

“Yes?”

“Those identities are far from what their relationship is right now.”

“Is it though?”

"Is there...no other identities they can take?"

"What would you suggest?"

"Siblings? Cousins?" he barked and they both turned to look at Qrow and Winter.

"Yes, they look quite similar now that you mention it."

"Teammates," he tried to reason.

"Their age difference would raise suspicion."

“And them being married won’t?!”

“People have married with a greater age gap.” 

"Calm down, Jimmy. It's just pretending. I would never marry your star pupil without inviting you to the wedding," Qrow laughed before taking a drink from his flask that Winter promptly took out of his hand.

"It will be fine, Headmaster," Winter reassured Ironwood, "we will maintain a civil and professional interaction throughout the mission. Is there anything else?" she asked, holding the flask as a hostage as Qrow tried to take it back.

"Are you sure you will be fine?" Ironwood asked.

“I will,” Winter said, looking at Qrow with a disinterested frown, “Will you?”

Qrow snatched his flask back, “Dandy.”

“We are in an agreement then?” Ozpin asked.

Winter nodded and Qrow held his hand up, “Wait. I need to do this right.”

“Qrow,” Ironwood warned.

Qrow took off his smallest ring, “Winter Schnee, will you marry me?”

“Oh, Gods,” Ironwood covered his face with one hand.

Winter looked at the ring and then to Qrow, “Not good enough.”

“What do you mean it wasn’t good enough?” Qrow asked indignantly.

“It was not,” she pointed to the ground, “On your knee and say it like you mean it.”

Qrow grinned, falling to one knee dramatically and held his ring to her much to Ironwood’s annoyance and Ozpin’s amusement. “Ice Queen.”

“Vain, ill-natured varlot.”

“My stars and moon and pain to my ass, despite having a cold – I mean artic cold – heart, will you marry me?”

She regarded him and sighed, “Pitiful but I suppose it will do.”

“Pitiful?” Qrow barked a laugh, “That was a damn good proposal.”

Winter turned back to the headmasters, “I believe we are ready.”

“Don’t ignore me! I am your husband!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone and their kind comments. I'm glad many of you enjoyed my Qrowin headcanons. This will be a IX part arc that will take this fic into rated E and other disturbing and explicit subjects. I hope you're ready because I'm not. 
> 
> Also, the next chapter will have smut. 
> 
> Lastly, I am participating in Qrowin week! This will be on hiatus until December 22, 2018.
> 
> Sneak peek of next chapter:
> 
> “Well, I wouldn’t mind it if we sleep under the same blanket together.”
> 
> “Perhaps sleeping six feet under would be a better option for you.”
> 
> “You just want another husband, don’t you?”
> 
> “Remarrying is easier as a widower than a divorcée.”
> 
> “What if I want another wife?”
> 
> Winter glanced up at him, amusement dancing in her gaze. “Do you really think you could do better than me?”


	17. Mission | Part II of IX

“Twilight from the man at the bar,” the waitress said, setting a lavender drink in front of Winter.

Winter glanced at the man and then at the drink. Rarely has she been to taverns and she was only here because Qrow suggested it was the best place to get a cheap meal without drawing any suspicion, which she agreed. However, he said he needed to grab something and pushed her inside without letting her say another word. Now, it’s been twenty minutes and while she ordered some soup for herself and a glass of rose lemonade, this man was suddenly sitting in front of her with a large smile.

“This is forward of me, but beg my pardon, the moment you walked in I knew I would regret the rest of my life not knowing your name.”

Winter took a drink from her lemonade, staring at the man disinterestedly. “Then, beg.”

A laugh broke out from above her and she knew it was Qrow without looking up. “Sorry about that,” he said in an amused voice, “My wife isn’t the kind to trust strangers easily.”

“W-wife?” the man stood up, flush red as he glanced down at Winter and the loose ring on her finger. “I see. Apologies. Well…I would still like to know the name of the woman whose beauty is comparable to that of a rose.”

Winter felt Qrow slid into the booth, his body pressing warmly against hers and his chuckle brushing against her ear. “My name is Zima,” Winter answered and lifted the lavender drink to him, “Thank you for the drink.”

“Zima,” the man repeated the name, “A beautiful and fitting name. You have a gorgeous wife, sir.”

“Oh, I know,” Qrow smirked, waving the man off as he swung his arm around Winter. “Left you alone for a few minutes and you have men lining up to replace me. I’m hurt.”

“A warning on just how easily I can replace you,” Winter said, taking a tiny sip of the lavender drink and shutting her eyes at how strong it was. She gave it to Qrow to drink in her place. “Where did you go?”

“Missed me?” he asked, placing a brown box in front of her.

Winter frowned and passed him the tavern’s menu, “Order something.”

“Yes, Dear,” He watched as she moved to put space between them and went to open the box he brought her, grinning when she smiled at the sight of the small strawberry tart inside.

They were entering the third night of their mission and so far things have gone quite smoothly besides the smoldering tension between them. After being dropped off at a remote location in the Unland region three days ago following Ozpin’s debrief at Beacon, they walked and camped until they arrived at the small town of Craft. Winter calculated at the pace they were going, they should reach the Village of Row in two days.

“Wife.”

Winter frowned and looked over to him. He was taking their false identities far too lightly and freely. “Husband?”

“I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?”

“Bad news,” she answered and perked an eyebrow at him, “For someone bearing bad news, you seem quite pleased.”

“I just like looking at you,” Qrow admitted, jumping when she shoved his feet to the side, causing him to almost spill his drink.

“So, what is it?” She asked, ignoring his glare.

“All the rooms in this tavern and the hotel across the street are taken.” 

Winter hummed, “I was expecting something worst.”

“Were you?”

“Yes, something to ‘I set city hall on fire,’ or close to that,” Winter said, thanking the waitress when her soup arrived. “I do not mind sleeping outside.”

“You don’t?”

“You do?”

“It gets cold at night.”

“Is that not why you purchased a blanket yesterday?”

“Yeah, but I still don’t want to sleep outside in the cold.”

“What a shame, then.”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind it if we sleep under the same blanket together.”

“Perhaps sleeping six feet under would be a better option for you.”

“You just want another husband, don’t you?”

“Remarrying is easier as a widower than a divorcée.”

“What if I want another wife?”

Winter glanced up at him, amusement dancing in her gaze. “Do you really think you could do better than me?”

Qrow frowned and she smiled smugly at him, which then caused him to smirk, “Honestly, no.” He gestured to her soup with his glass, “Eat your soup before it gets cold, Honey.”

“Your meal hasn’t arrived yet, Darling.”

“So?”

“It will taste better when we are eating together,” she reasoned off-handily.

“You know how to make my heart flutter, don’t you?”

Winter’s ear tinted red but said nothing regarding the matter. Instead, she asked of the good news he mentioned before. Qrow gestured for her to give him her left hand and she did, watching as he slipped his ring off her finger and onto his left ring finger instead of the right, where he normally had it.

Qrow snorted a laugh at her expression, “Relax, I’m not leaving you when I got you right where I want you.”

“How charming,” Winter said with a roll of her eyes.

“And handsome,” Qrow fished from his pocket a small brown pouch. He let a smaller ring fall onto his palm and presented to Winter.

“You bought a…ring?”

“I bought  _you_  a ring. One that should fit compared to this one,” he waved his left ring finger at her. He slipped the thin ring on her. It was a little loose but not enough that it would fall off. It was white gold unlike like his that was silver. He looked at her and smirked, “You’re blushing.”

“It is the lighting,” she reasoned.

“It’s like we’re really married.”

“Keep me out of your drunken fantasies." 

Qrow snickered and decided not to tease her about it. Instead, they idly talked through their meal. She shared her tart with him, giving him the largest strawberry on top without saying anything because she saw him eyeing it. She tried the Twilight drink again after he pestered her for a moment and scrunched her nose at the taste, causing him to laugh. Despite this being a highly classified tier A mission, it didn’t feel like one to him. Honestly, it felt more of a stretched out unofficial date he normally had with Winter when he was in Atlas.

After they ate their dinner, Qrow and Winter set off into the wilderness until they found a nice clearing for them to make camp. Qrow secured the perimeter and Winter started the fire. Soon, they were both looking for additional firewood for the rest of the night. More than once, he caught her staring up at the night sky, admiring the thousands of stars littering the black canvas.

It was moonless that night.

They settled in. Their sleeping bags rolled out across from one another with the fire between them. Again, Winter was staring up at the sky when she yawned behind her hand delicately.

“I’ll cover the first shift,” Qrow said, her ring glistened in the fire, beckoning him to her but he shoved that urge away. “Get some sleep.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yup.”

Winter rubbed the back of her neck to release the knots she had, taking in the refreshing clean air of the night. She heard him shuffle and looked over and, once more, her stomach churned in knots. The light of the flames flickered across his face so daringly, wavering over the notable scar on his stubborn jaw and his sharp red eyes. It tempted her to brush her hand against it and follow the flicker of light down his neck.

Like the sun casting shadows, he cast incantations over her without knowing it. She wondered how he had the power to fill her with daydreams about him, about an untold future with him, and annoyance. He got under her skin like no other. Still, she grew up knowing she could have anything she wanted, and she never wanted anything but the happiness for those around her.

But, since meeting him, she felt her first selfish wish emerge.

She wanted the sun.

She wanted him.

“Qrow,” she called, the ring on her finger weighing her to unknown possibilities, unknown realities. She was not aware when she walked over to him but she was in front of him. He raised an eyebrow at her, about to speak when she kissed him. 

She wanted this kiss to end her wishing. This one last kiss and she could move on because this was not her place. So, she held that reasoning in her as she closed her eyes. Hoping he would pull away or let the kiss end and say nothing to her, allowing her to die in embarrassment and shame in her sleeping bag, but he didn’t. Not a second after her lips touched his he dropped his scroll to the ground to take a stronghold of her and meet the kiss greedily. 

Qrow was an opportunist and when he saw something he wanted give way, he would take it, grasping it fully in his fist until it was his. With this kiss, he did not dare ask anything. He had no intention to press his luck and break this reverie around them. So, he took everything she gave him, demanded more, and let reality sink and fade.

Again, he was stun. She was sweet and light to the taste, making him weightless as he tugged her closer with his heavy limbs. Then, she made all the swirling air in him explode in starburst when she stepped forward, standing on the tips of toes to deepen the kiss. She pulled away for a single second to tilt her head and kiss him again, her hands grasping his forearm and moving up to his shoulders. Long, thin fingers caressing his jaw and he knew he was a goner for her.

He undid her hair, letting her hairpins drop to the ground and get lost within the grass. His hand buried itself within the strands. His heart beating against his chest when she made a breathless whine, almost too soft to be heard and by the Gods, he would spend the rest of his life trying to hear that noise again.

There were instances when a kiss ended and they would stare at the other in wonder before another kiss began. Winter’s knees buckled at the intrusion of his tongue, it skimmed her lips and slipped between them, caressing her own and it was what they needed. She was led down onto his sleeping bag, her hands gripping his collar, keeping him close and he wanted to be nowhere else but there with her.

As they kissed, Winter let her inhibitions dissipate to focus only on them, on the new exhilarating emotions he was making her feel. Her hands roamed over him, down his neck and over his broad shoulders. She moved to unfasten the first few buttons of his shirt to touch his skin freely, feeling his groan against her lips.

Qrow pulled away to press his face on the juncture of her neck, inhaling as his lips trailed the slender arch. “This is nothing compared to my drunken fantasies,” he rasped.

“I told you to keep me out of those,” she breathed unevenly, smiling and he was kissing her again. She hummed into the kiss, her back arching at the sensation.

“Then you’ll be bothering me in my dreams.” His hands were running up her thighs, “Winter."

She hummed again, signaling that she heard him but was too engaged in kissing his neck to speak. She was able to unbutton the rest of his shirt, moving her lips on his as she pushed it off his shoulders.

“I want you. All of you,” he said, pushing her onto her back to create space between them so he could think and actually speak his heavy leaded words, “Tell me you want me.”

She was too enthralled in the sparks he was creating to understand what he meant. She was too focused on his movements, nociting her legs over his thighs. Her cheeks reddened to a deeper shade as she stared up at him. The stars shined so brilliantly behind him and it made her stomach flutter.

“Winter,” He called for her again, his lips meeting hers once more before he asked in his demanding manner again, “Tell me you want me, too.”

She frowned, embarrassed but she still leaned up, perking an eyebrow and widening her thighs for him.

“Good enough,” Qrow took her kiss as an invitation and allowed her to pull him in deeper. Qrow tugged at her blue vest and she pulled it off, but he stopped her from unbuttoning her blouse after she undid the thin bow at her neck. “No. No. No,” he said rapidly, “I’m going to undress you. Slowly.”

“Qrow,” Winter began to protest but he kissed her soundly.

“Do you know how long I’ve been dreaming of this?” 

“Weeks? Months?” Winter said blandly.

Qrow snorted, “Years.”

“We meant less than a year ago.”

“Oh, but I’ve been dreaming of you for so long."

Winter sighed, red at his confession but allowed him to take his time to strip her. “I thought I was in your fantasies so I would not have to be in your dreams.”

Qrow huffed a laugh, kissing her collarbone heatedly, “That’s your fault. You’re as stubborn in my fantasies as you are in real life.”

He had so many daydreams about unbuttoning her blouse that he relished the smooth unfastening of each button. The tantalizing revealed of skin starting at her neck and collarbone. She had his mouth watering but he stopped when he saw the glimmer of a necklace lying just above her cleavage. He leaned down to kiss it, causing her to jolt.

She forgot she was wearing the necklace he bought her.

“So you really did like it,” he said against her skin and continued with a smirk.

For now, he resisted the urge to sweep is hands and tongue over her breasts when they appeared fully to the glow of the fire. However, he admired them. They were plump and round, more than enough for his hands to cradle. Her bra was simple and practical for the mission, and he wondered how they would look covered in lace or in a bralette like the one she wore during the Gold Claws mission all those months ago.

Were her nipples be the same dusty rose of her lips?

Qrow blinked when she wiped his mouth with his shirt. “You are drooling,” she stated with a glare, trembling in what he hoped with anticipation.

“I’m hungry,” he pushed her blouse off of her and threw it to the side. He reached over to undo her bra, kissing her shoulder as the fabric gave way and he slid it off of her and threw it with her blouse. He shut his eyes, relishing the skin of her back and the puckering of her nipples brushing against his chest.

He kissed her slowly; using the small amount of patience he had to push her onto her back again. As he kissed her, moving down to her neck and shoulders, he paused at her neck. He wanted to ensure there would be at least one mark on her tomorrow morning, to confirm to him that this was real and not a drunken reverie. He reached under her skirt for her panties and groaned.

“Why are you so wet?”

"You do not-" She was smothered silence by his mouth over hers.

He pulled her panties down her thighs, off of one leg then the other. Saving him from removing his lips from hers. He felt the material of her boots, her garter belt tempting him so, but he decided he wanted them on.

That, and her skirt.

Sitting up, Qrow finally looked down at her. Awed at the panting mess he left her in so far. The light of the flames danced on her body like a flight of birds. Her gaze was cloudy but steady, lips were red and swollen, and her hair was like silk spilled across on his sleeping bag. He felt an arrogant smugness overtake him. 

His gazed mapped the flat panel of her stomach to her ample breasts with nipples that matched her pink lips prior to his kisses. He ran his hands on her generous thighs, giving them a hefty squeeze. Licking his lips, he pushed her skirt up to reveal her quivering heat, flush and glistening in her nectar. He hissed a curse at the sight, wanting to touch and tease it but he still needed to adore the rest of her before he ventured there.

He had to worship her hips, stomach, chest, neck, and back.

Especially the back. He can’t forget about it.

He has seen her back so many times in dresses that he refused to not at least place a mark there.

Winter kneed him in the side, not hard but enough that it shocked him. “Stop looking and do something.”

“Going too slow for you?”

“At the pace you are going the mission will be-” Winter jumped in surprise when his hands ran up her sides to cup her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her nipples causing her to squirm. Qrow latched his mouth on her neck, sliding his tongue down and lifting up a moment to admire her breasts. He pressed his mouth to one tantalizing nipple, capturing it effectively and lavished it with his tongue. She was breathing heavily, her back arching once again, welcoming him to her body.

He felt her hair rise under his palms, the dimpling of skin as he roughly swirled his tongue over the stiff nub. Releasing it with a smooth pop and moving to the other, giving it the same treatment, adding nibbles to redden her skin delightfully.

She could hear his cursed filled praises being muffled by her skin. His fingers dug into her sides, moved to her thighs to palm the flesh there as he continued to move his mouth down. He lined the edge of her skirt with hot kisses, biting the skin there to leave another mark and moved south again. He was already drunk off her smell, a coiling musk scent with a sweet rich tang to it.

He pressed his lips to her thighs, delighted to feel the firm muscles under soft skin. Glancing up, he saw her prop herself up weakly on one elbow to look at him, her gaze was deep and heavy with desire and he wanted to make it opaque. He went closer to her core, feeling her tremble. He relished her shiver when he kissed the patch of white curls above her heat and glanced up to her again. Panting, she waited for him to make his next move and he did.

Qrow lapped at her and grinned at her whine, his name ending in a soft cry. He smoothed his tongue over her core, his teeth nibbling lightly the throbbing skin and his fingers edging to her entrance. He felt her hand in his hair, and it thrilled him so that he ground his crotch to the ground to find relief, imagining how she would dig her hand in his hair when he was inside of her.

He tongued the entrance of her heat, catching more of her juices and he pressed closer to her, moaning at the taste. Her thighs twitched shut and he pushed them open, holding them as he went to her clit, licking it slow and languidly. She was gasping, each one growing breather and heavy with each passing. Qrow dragged his finger to her entrance, tapping it there, chuckling at his name being gasped in shock this time, and sunk it in.

“Qrow,” she exhaled, tensing from the intrusion and the sensation of pleasure passing over her in waves. She rolled her hips at the come hither motion of his finger, biting back a moan when he added another finger. “Qrow, please,” she begged, something she would never admit if he teased her about it later, but, Gods, she needed to release what he was building in her.

He went to kiss her again, watching hotly as she rode his hand. Seeing her body react so vividly to his touch. She gripped his arm, her thighs quivering and squeezing his as the coiling in her grew. He pulled her hand away from her mouth when she cried out at his thumb passing over her clit.

“No one’s here to hear us,” he said fiercely, grounding his hips against her thigh, “Don’t hold back.”

Qrow watched as she arched, her legs scrambling for purchase as the heat in her snapped and the wave of blissful pleasure overtook her. She tightened over his fingers, shuddering as her essences rushed out. Her gasps mixed with whimpers laced with his name were entrancing, something utterly new and surprising, and the smile she made, soft and blissful, captivated him.

He wanted to be the only witness to that smile.

Kissing her softly until she unwounded into his sleeping bag. He caught her gaze and felt smug despite her smacking his arm weakly. He removed his fingers and licked the juices off of them, laughing when she smacked him again, just a tad harder.

“Way better than a drunken fantasy,” Qrow said, kissing her cheek and then her lips. She accepted his kiss, tasting herself and ignoring his pleased expression.

“Take my boots off,” she demanded, feeling hot. “And my skirt.”

“Can I leave the garter on?”

“No.”

“What? Give me something,” he said and the manner she frowned at him, glancing down her almost nude body, had him nodding. “True.”

As he took her boots off, she undid her skirt and pushed it down – she shoved him when he laughed at her struggling to get the skirt over her hips – and flung her boots and skirt to the side with the garter belt. She sat up heavily, using his arm as leverage, and kissed his shoulder softly. Her hands skimming down his chest, over his muscular abdominal and trail of black hair, to the edge of his trousers. They were already undone, his cock straining, and she blushed.

“Excited?” Qrow teased, pushing his trousers and boxers off with her help.

“Apprehensive,” Winter corrected, reaching down to capture him. He was too hot to the touch, bigger than she thought he would be. It felt smooth and firm, pulsing and twitching, and it made her clench her own heat in anticipation.

“Why? There’s nothing to be scared about. We can go as slow and as long as you like,” he said with a twinge of haughtiness, groaning at her hand pumping him shyly.

“Apprehensive because what if you are awful,” she corrected again, laughing at his glower.

Qrow snorted, guiding her hand on him, “You’re going to be amazed at how I can make you feel that you’ll want me to be your boyfriend.”

“I thought you were my husband.”

“I was taking things slow, but sure, that’s even better,” Qrow grunted when she got a good and pleasurable pace on his cock, “I’ll be your husband.”

Winter smacked his arm again and jolted when he pulled her onto his thighs, his rod pressed against her stomach. He squeezed her ass, palming it and dragging her up onto her knees. “Winter.”

“I want you,” she said, feeling his tip at her entrance.

Qrow shut his eyes, feeling her quiver under his palms as he lowered her onto him. He was girthy and wanted to make sure she wouldn’t get hurt as she accommodated to his cock. The tip pushing in and he groaned into her shoulder as she stretched over him, slowly but surely. He heard her gasps, her nails digging into him, and he lowered her even more. 

“Aw, fuck,” Qrow exclaimed, passing the snug ring and entering her fully.

She was tight to the point it was maddening and he was forgetting how to breathe. He felt her delicious, scorching flesh over him and he wondered if this was the closest he would ever be to heaven. He hissed against her chest, mouthing the skin there and getting accustomed to her core over him. Wrapping an arm around her, he lowered her on to the sleeping bag.

She had her hand in his hair, kissed the top of his head before searching for his lips, whimpering at the movement and gasping as he bumped against her walls, and tightened her thighs around him. “Yes,” she moaned, feeling the waves of ecstasy sweeping over her.

He cursed and pulled out slowly until his tip was left inside and thrust in. Winter felt his grin against her cheek and was tempted to pinch him but he thrust again, and she hid her face in the juncture of his neck. He went slowly, almost lazily, but he savored her, the roll of her hips in his hands that met his hips shyly. 

The heat was coiling around them despite the cool winds, their bodies making an audible sound when their skin smacked each other but it was coy and teasing. Winter’s toes curled, her mind was almost blank due to the sensation of his sweltering cock that was making its home inside of her. The border of the head rubbing against the engorging spot inside of her, making whimpers waltz from her lips. She asked for him to go faster and he cursed loudly, kissing her deeply and he did as she asked.

His hips moved quicker, his arm hooked under her thigh and lifted it up slightly to get closer. His lower abs angled to bump against her clit and his name was a pray on her tongue. She moaned and gasped, widening her thighs because she needed him more. 

He kept the steady speed, refusing her when she asked him to go faster a second time, and kept it at a rhythm of short, hard thrusts hitting the same searing angle inside of her. She was tightening over him and she sought his lips, her submissive whines brushing his mouth. 

“Qrow,” she called for him in her strong clear voice that was tinged with desire and want that drove his ego wild.

“I’ll give you what you want,” Qrow promised in a grunt, smirking against her kiss, “I’ll even give you the stars.” He pressed closer, driving into her as he told her she was tight, how much he wanted to be inside of her, how he touched himself with her in his thoughts. He bit her neck, suckling to make a mark and she broke.

Winter’s orgasm crashed through her, leaving her blinded for a moment before stars emerged behind her eyes. She was gasping, clawing at his skin and arching her back. Qrow watched, her blissful smile returning once more and he was entirely pleased and self-satisfied. He kissed her, pumping his hips as the waves of her orgasm rocked her until he felt his sack tingle and tighten, his cock twitched in the sign of his own approaching climax.

“Inside?” Qrow grunted.

“Yes,” Winter almost demanded in her soft placid voice.

She reached up to kiss him, moaning when his hips pumped into her heavily, almost violently, and then she moaned his name and his hips surged forward, pressing powerfully into hers as he released his seeds, filling her plentiful with thick, warm cum.

“Fuck,” Qrow grunted, feeling every twitch of his cock and every spurt of cum leaving him. 

"It feels wonderful," she said softly.

He grasped her chin and kissed her sloppily. He rolled his hips one last time, feeling the rush of bliss run through him once more, and relaxed against her soft body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back on!
> 
> Thank you for reading and more smut is coming...yay, I guess. 
> 
> Sneak peek for next chapter:
> 
> “I’m being serious.”
> 
> “I know. Can I have a kiss for good luck?” Her glare answered him and he laughed. He gestured to the path behind her that led back to town, “Stick to the main path.”
> 
> “I will.”
> 
> “Be careful,” he said and stared at her with an expected look. 
> 
> Winter pursed her lips and red tinted her ears. “Don’t do anything stupid,” she turned around to lead Aubergine and the farmers back to the village. The farmers smiled at each other, they found the relationship between the two refreshing and amusing, but dared say nothing as they followed Winter.


	18. Mission | Part III of IX

Winter woke when the sunray across her face got too bright and hot. She sat up slowly, blinking at the morning light slowly stretching in the room. The large overnight shirt she wore slipped off her shoulder and was thin enough that it did not block the chill of dawn. She briefly wondered what time it was when she felt Qrow sit up beside her. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her shoulder, his stubble tickling the skin there before he pulled her back down. He curved her over his body, switching spots so that his back was blocking the sunray from hitting her face.

“Go back to sleep,” he mumbled.

Winter hummed in agreement and fell asleep once again. She never was a morning person. The second time she woke she felt Qrow’s stomach grumbling against her ear. She saw the large scar on the left side of his stomach, the trail of black hair leading to his groin, and glanced up. He was running his fingers through her hair as he looked at his scroll, most likely reading the news.

She smelled coffee.

Since their first night together under that moonless sky, they have never spoken about what happened but accepted that it did and accepted the change in their relationship. It simply felt natural like the sun rising the following morning, a progression that was bound to happen. The unspoken words and glances that lingered between them unexpressed before had burst and shaped into lyrical strings connecting the two.

They have been in the Village of Row for two weeks now acting as husband and wife, living in a small one-bedroom house at the end of a long dusty road. The village of Row was friendly and ate up their lie without questions. Since their arrival, they performed the duties in which they were assigned: rid the town of grimm, ensure walls were built, and protect the town folks. There was no sighting of a man named Aspen yet; he was supposedly out of town until next week but they both remained vigilant. 

“Morning,” he said when he felt her lashes batting against the skin of his stomach. “How are you feeling?”

“Lethargic,” she answered.

Yesterday, they arrived home later than usual after clearing some approaching grimm. Winter protected the south section of Row that had thrice amount of grimm than the north where Qrow was guarding. He came the last hour to assist her, but by then she eliminated more than three-fourths of the grimm and was weary and cranky. 

“I made you tea.”

“You made tea?” Winter moved to embrace him fully, pressing to his warmth.

“I learned.”

“Only took you a week.” 

“That’s because you have so many damn rules about tea,” he shut his eyes and enclosed his arm around her, noticing the feminine lily scent of hers was finally getting dyed with his smell.

“Of course,” she argued, brushing his bangs away, “making tea is an art.”

“It’s leaf water.”

“When done incorrectly by an incompetent person.”

“Are you calling me incompetent?”

“Did you make tea or leaf water?”

“Tea.”

“Then, no.”

Qrow grinned, about to pass the cup of tea to her when she kissed his cheek and trailed the kiss to his lips. He accepted the kiss and the one following that. She was soft and pliant in the morning, almost touch-starved, her mask not constructed yet. She pressed closer, her body resting against his fully. He set his coffee down on the bedside table, almost spilling it when she reached between them to take hold of his growing erection over his boxers.

Qrow cursed at the touch.

She was definitely touch-starved in the morning.

She pulled him free and he hurriedly moved her panties to the side, both were too impatient to take them off properly. He groaned, grabbing her thighs when she sank on him, her heat molding over his erection and pulsing in desire. She moved in a slow rock, a measured rhythm of swaying her hips that stroke his length in an annoyed pleasure kind of manner. Her whine was hot on his neck and when he thrust up, she gasped at the sharp movement.

“Qrow,” she glared weakly at him and he smiled devilishly. 

He moved to hold her hips and set her to rock just a tad harder, a little sharper, and at an angle he knew would make her tighten over him. He tugged at her shirt, ripping a few buttons from the top to take her nipple in his mouth. His mouth was searing and he lapped at her breast, biting the tender skin to leave another mark. He already had so many littering her body and adored looking at them just as he adored looking at those she left on him.

She was still sore and tired from last night, but the pleasure she was feeling was making it fade and replace by the invading rise of her orgasm. Her nails bit into his back and shoulder, her face pressed into his shoulder and eyes were shut as it grew. She felt it in the coiling of her breasts, the curling of her toes, the trembling of her thighs, and the throbbing inside her heat.

He felt it, too. Qrow palmed her ass, smirking smugly as her moans became louder and her thighs squeezed over his. Seeing her come undone was a sight he never thought he would covet and treasure, but here he was; wanting it more than water, more than the alcohol in his flask. He made her slam against him rougher, shorter strokes and a quicker pace. He felt her, the shiver passing through her, the tightening of her core on his cock. He felt her nectar pour over him when she came, his name a strangled cry on smiling lips against his jaw and he continued to move her over him.

One pump.

Two pumps.

Three pumps.

Four.

Qrow grunted, holding her hips down and filling her with his cum. His heavy sack quivering and his body shuddering at the pleasure that overtook them in the late morning sun. He panted heavily and held her close, basking in this rare unconcerned bliss they may not have again once the mission was over.

She leaned up, her lips centimeters away from his and she hovered there, watching as he shut his eyes and waited for his kiss. After a few seconds, he glared at her before pulling her in. A burst of soft laughter escaped her but she pressed into his kiss.

~o~o~o~o~ 

“Where do you think they’re coming from?” Aubergine, their tall and lanky Row tour guide, asked.

“This grimm appeared to be a youngling,” Winter answered, watching the grimm nerodia sea snake evaporate after stabbing it in the head with her sabre. “Perhaps there is a nest.”

“Is there a body of water close by?” Qrow asked.

“Yes, west from here. Lake Grace,” Aubergine said. “We used to go there to collect some medical herbs but since the grimm invaded, it became far too dangerous to venture there.”

“A nest could be there."

“Nerodia are known to nest at the bottom of lakes and rivers,” Winter said.

“Want to investigate or escort the farmers back to town?” Qrow placed Harbinger on his back.

She glanced at the time, noticing the sun was at its peak and would soon begin to fall. It was better he went since he was the faster of the two. “I will take them back.” She turned to Aubergine, “How far is Lake Grace?”

“It’s an hour walk from here,” he replied.

Winter hummed in thought, calculating the distances and Qrow’s speed. “Should I expect you back in three hours?” She asked Qrow.

“More like two if I don’t need to fight any grimm.”

“Do not,” Winter stated sternly, “It is already dangerous going alone and if there is a mother grimm nerodia, there may be more than one. Go and only observe. Report back what you see and we can plan our next course of action tonight.”

“Yes, Dear.”

“I am being serious.”

“I know. Can I have a kiss for good luck?” Her glare answered him and he laughed. He gestured to the path behind her that led back to town, “Stick to the main path.”

“I will.”

“Be careful,” he said and stared at her with an expected look. 

Winter pursed her lips and red tinted her ears. “Do not do anything stupid,” she turned around to lead Aubergine and the farmers back to the village. The farmers smiled at each other, they found the relationship between the two refreshing and amusing but dared to say nothing as they followed Winter.

Qrow waited until he could not see them to start his own trek west. After a few minutes to ensure he was alone, he turned into a crow and flew up. High in the sky, he embarked towards the ocean and after a few minutes, he saw the glimmer of the sun bouncing off water in the distance and went towards the lake.

 ~o~o~o~o~

The trek back to the village was uneventful, a few grimms here and there but nothing that required a gruesome amount of effort. The farmers spoke in murmurs behind her of the recently built east wall, hoping to erect the south in the next week. They have expanded their borders quickly and smoothly with her and Qrow protecting them, giving them room to grow and concrete their roots. Once all four walls were built, they hoped to have a celebration.

Entering the village, a few of their loved ones were waiting for them, running into their arms in relief that they were all back safe. Winter only had a moment to look back to the forest when the heavy steps of a man made its way to her from behind.

"My, what a lovely creature you appear to be." The tenor voice of a man rang clearly and she turned around, keeping a passive expression towards the tall, blond man. "I've never seen you around these parts of the woods."

"Nor I you," Winter answered after a few seconds of trying to remember if she had.

He smiled and bowed in a manner unfamiliar to her, his arms and right leg sweeping to the left. "Isaac Aspen," the man offered and stood up.

Winter allowed him to grab her glove-covered hand in greeting, "Zima Starling."

"Zima," he repeated her name. "The pleasure is all mine. Tell me, what brings you to our sleepy village?"

"Work," Winter slipped her hand free from his hold, "I have come to assist in diminishing the growing grimm population."

"You're a huntress."

"I am. Are you from here or are you passing through?"

"I own the forestry and logging business here."

"Oh? So you are the owner of that fine manor north from here."

"Yes, I am."

"It is quite a sight. Did you have it built there?"

"I did," he said, "I wanted something on the cliff that overlooked the Village of Row. Would you like a tour? The view is magnificent at night."

Winter felt the stares of the people of Row on her, their expectation in her to reject the offer and she was conflicted. They thought she was married to Qrow and if she accepted Aspen's invitation, there might be some damage to the illusion she and Qrow constructed. However, this may be the perfect chance to investigate this man furthermore. Nevertheless, Winter thought of Qrow. If she went, he would not know due to being in the wood by himself and the CCT connection was so weak here that a message would not reach him.

"It is quite late and I would hate to impose. I do appreciate the offer but perhaps another time."

"Now. Now," he stepped closer to her and pressed a hand to her back, leading her towards the manor, "entertaining a lovely creature such as you is no hardship."

Winter buried the urged to break every bone in his hand when he called her a ‘creature’ for the second time but this could be in her favor. Glancing behind her, she saw the townsfolk appalled that she was being forcefully taken away and, no doubt, once Qrow was back, one of them will inform him of her location. They all seemed to like having them around as a couple. So, she placed some respectable space between her and Aspen, and walked towards his manor.

The journey there was not long. She spent the half hour listening to him talk and asked a weave of questions regarding his interest, his business, and his travels. At one point, he stopped to look at her and asked, "Do you believe in fairy tales?

"When I was a child," Winter answered.

"May I tell you my favorite one?"

"I will be interested in hearing it."

They resumed their walk.

"Long ago," he began, "there was a man cursed by the Gods with enormous power after he failed them on defeating a rising evil. One day, a group of four sisters came across him and saw he was sick. The four sisters, each unique in their own way, helped him. The eldest sister made him medicine from the herbs the second eldest sister grew in the garden. The second youngest sister made him hearty meals to help grow his strength and the youngest sister told him tales to keep his spirits up. When the man felt better he offered the sisters a gift."

"A gift?"

"Yes, the gift of magic,” he said, leading her up the path to his property. “Before I continue, let me welcome you to my home. Ahead is Aspen Manor. It was built using the trees surrounding Row. To the far left, you will see a clearing of trees. There is where my forestry warehouse lies. Through my business, I hope to bring money and development to the Village of Row.”

“Admirable,” Winter complimented, following him up to his manor. The wood panels were painted white and green shutters framed each window. The path to the front door was smoothed with stone and lined with bushes.

“Thank you,” he said, “I can give you a tour of the forestry later if you like.”

“I would.”

“Wonderful. Oh, where was I?”

“You said the man gifted the sisters with magic,” Winter offered.

“Yes! Thank you, again. Through this gift of magic, the sisters were able to use the elements in any way they desire, help their neighbors, build cities, fight grimm, or live peaceful lives. The names of the sisters have been lost, but they are referred as the Spring Maiden, the Summer Maiden, the Fall Maiden, and," he looked at her, "the Winter Maiden."

Winter kept her smile posed on her face, “How vast are their powers?”

“Well, imagine this. Alone, they can shift the tides in battle. Alone, they can defeat an army of grimm. Alone, they can stop natural disastrous. Alone, they can conquer a kingdom. However, if their powers were to be combined, tales have it that they become god-like and are able to cross over to the spirit realm. They say that these maidens are the last connections to the Gods.”

"That is quite alarming.”

“Isn’t it?”

“What of the man?”

“After he gave the sisters’ his gift, he slowly became weaker and weaker however still cursed to walk this world.”

“And the sisters?"

"Their story of power spread across the Remnant. Greed and envy caused them to be hunted and killed."

"That is unfortunate."

"Yes, but the power of the maidens goes to other young women whose hearts are as worthy as those original four sisters. So, as the tale goes, whenever a maiden dies, their power goes to another."

Winter thanked Aspen's butler that opened the door and greeted them warmly. He took Aspen’s jacket and her weapon, placing them in a coat closet nearby. The interior of the manor was what she expected. Clean lines and fine materials. Nothing interesting compared to what she had seen before.

"Were they all murdered?" she asked.

"No, because, you see, a group of huntsmen and huntresses came together to start protecting them and their power.”

“A group?” 

“Yes, a kind of circle or brotherhood, or so the rumor has it.”

“Do they know the location of all the maidens?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Some maidens go into hiding, informing no one, not even the brotherhood, of their existences. Other maidens were hunted and murdered, some killed during battles, and a few were able to live happy and old with their secrets kept hidden." Aspen gave a short laugh, leading her to a parlor with grand arching green chairs and warm redwood furniture. "I apologize. I've never been good at telling stories but this is certainly my favorite one due to the theories many people like to dwell on."

"Please do not apologize. It was an engaging tale."

“Oh, Misty, there you are,” Aspen called over his maid that stood by the door. “Please prepare some drinks for us.”

“Yes, sir.”

“That is not necessary,” Winter tried to protest, “I will not be staying long.”

“Nonsense,” Aspen said, “I must give you something as gratitude for listening to me blabber. Go, Misty. The drinks.”

Winter said nothing more on the matter. As the maid left, she noticed the round ears on top of her head. She was a faunus.

“Apologizes,” he suddenly said. 

“Whatever for?”

“For my servants,” he said. “Their presences must have disturbed you, as it should. Faunus are deceitful creatures.”

Winter’s serene smiled was getting harder to maintain but she shook her head, “Worry not. Her presence did not disturb me.”

"Good. Good. Tell me. Do you have one?" He asked, smiling when she said she did not understand what he meant, "A favorite fairy tale, I mean.”

“Ah,” Winter sat straight across from him, tucking her skirt under her, “I do not believe I have ever been asked that.”

“I’m honored to be the first, then.”

“Excuse me,” Misty was back with a tea cart.

“Perfect timing!” Aspen grinned. “I hope you like lemon bars.”

Misty placed a tray of sweets on the coffee table between them followed by two cups of water. She then placed a tray of tea in the center with two empty teacups on each side. Lastly, she reached for the tray of two glasses of wine. Aspen’s smile twitched and Winter wondered what that meant when she felt the cool liquid of red wine run down from her shoulder to her skirt.

Misty was apologizing profoundly and Winter calmed the maid, “It is fine. Please be at ease.”

“Useless faunus, look at what you’ve done!” Aspen snarled, “My apologies for my maid-servant.”

“All is well,” Winter said, not wanting the girl to be disciplined for something so minor. “None got onto the furniture which is more important.” 

“Nonsense. I can easily replace my furniture but not your favor of me. Misty, take Miss Zima upstairs and bring her some spare clothes.”

“There is no need.”

“Please,” Aspen stepped around the table and Winter restrained herself one more when he grabbed her hand. “Let me remedy the error of my servant. It will be my pleasure.”

Winter bit back her frown, “If it is not too much trouble.”

“Wonderful. Misty, if you please.”

“Yes, sir,” Misty curtsied and directed Winter to follow her up a staircase to a spare bedroom. Misty asked for Winter’s size before showing her the towels in the private bathroom in case she would like to wash the wine off. “I will return shortly with your clothes.”

Misty bowed and left the room.

Winter glanced around the room. It was luscious and grand, as it was expected to be, with handcrafted wooden furniture and heavy curtains. Winter removed her vest, blouse, and high-waist skirt, leaving them on the dresser before entering the restroom. There was wine covering the right side of her bra and the corner of her panties, some on her stockings as well, but she did not think it was necessary to take them off. She used a cloth to clean her shoulder and stopped at the red love marks littering across her chest.

The marks were none other than Qrow’s doing. She wondered if it has become his hobby to have his mouth attached to her body from the number of marks he liked to leave on her. She hoped the clothes Misty would bring her would have a high collar. Blushing, she looked out the open window and saw the sun was gone.

How long would she have until Qrow arrived, she wondered.

So far, the introduction between her and Aspen had been going well despite the wine. She sensed no hostility or caution on his end regarding her presence or interest in his business. He talked like running water, answering any question she had and expanding on any comment she made. Still, while he may seem heedless of her, Winter thought of the concerned expressions on the villagers’ faces and the twitch of his smile.

She and Qrow read more about Aspen and what he had done in the past. He stole and enslaved faunus, made them work on his land and in his home. He used his faculties as meeting points to trade wood and faunus for dust and secrets. All illegal. If his hands were not seeped in politicians' pockets he would have been arrested by now. Winter took another glance around the opulent room. He had to do all those things if he was living this nicely. After all, if there was one thing Winter knew best was evaluating the wealth and profit of businesses and what they could afford.

A young man being the sole owner of a recently established forestry business would not be able to live as such without some illegal transactions. 

“Miss Zima, may I come in?” Misty’s voice sounded through the bedroom door and Winter gave her permission. “I left a change of clothes for you on the bed.”

“Thank you,” Winter called out from behind the bathroom door.

“If it’s alright, I will dispose of the clothes I soiled.”

Winter opened the bathroom door swiftly, momentarily forgetting she stood only in her undergarments and offered the maid a comforting smile. “Do not fret. You have soiled nothing that cannot be easily replaced.”

Misty clenched the clothes to her chest and gave a shy nod, “Thank you. Um, please let me know if you need anything else.”

“I will, thank you.”

“I will come back to lead you downstairs in a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” Winter said once more. 

Misty left the room and Winter went back to washing her skin from the wine. Once done, she went over to the bed and paused. Grabbing the garment left for her, she held up the rose silk gown and nearly threw it out the window. Shutting her eyes, the entire incident now made sense and she was enraged.

Nevertheless, she thought of Misty and held her temper for now. She slipped the dress on, frowning as it strained over her hips. It was too tight. One wrong move and she was positive she would rip the seam. She had to remove her garter belt and stockings that was clearly showing underneath the fabric. Then, the neckline was plunging to the point she could not wear her wine-stained bra and had to remove it, too. A lone love bite stood out, unable to hide beneath the silk, and Winter wanted to die in embarrassment.

There was a knock on the door and Misty entered the room once more when Winter called her in. She just zipped her boots up when Misty asked if she should take her bra, too.

“My clothing,” Winter began, “how are you disposing of them?”

“Through the trash.”

“May you burn them, instead?”

“Yes,” Misty answered. 

“Thank you. I believe I am ready.” Winter grabbed her gloves and scroll, stuffing her garter belt into one of them before following Misty down the staircase and to the parlor.

“Oh, don’t you look divine,” Aspen said, standing up from his chair.

“Thank you for the change of clothes,” Winter said with the same serene smile and remained standing for fear that if she sat the dress would burst at the hips. 

“Is there anything else, Mr. Aspen?” Misty asked with her head bow.

“No. That’s all. Go do something useful and bring us some wine, and don’t spill it this time,” he dismissed her with a wave of his hand. “Now, clothes such as these best suit you, don’t you think?”

“The Queen of Nix,” Winter interrupted.

“Who?”

“That is my favorite fairytale story. Have you heard of it?”

“Vaguely,” Aspen smiled, “It’s a rare story.”

“Yes, not many know of it,” she said.

Misty knocked on the side of the wall to announce her presence again and came in with two glasses of wine. Aspen dismissed her once more. She turned to exit the room and, in a hurried and hushed voice, she told Winter, “Don’t drink the wine.”

Winter did not blink at the warning. Her smile would have cracked if it not had been for her upbringing. Men liked Aspen were as common as a weed in her routine life in high society and, like other wealthy daughters, she had been warned about glided men like him.

“Now then, let us make a toast,” he lifted a wine up and Winter grabbed the cup of water. “Oh? Don’t tell me you’re not a drinker.”

Winter heard a tapping on a window and saw the red beady eye of a crow looking in. “I am afraid,” Winter looked back to Aspen, “I did not have the chance to tell you that I do not.”

“Any reason,” he was frowning now.

Reason?

“My husband and I are trying for a child,” Winter said the first excuse she could think.

Aspen looked over her again. His eyes stopped at her collarbone and the inner swell of her left breast where she had noticeable and recently made lover’s mark. She refused to have her cheeks flush red, and attempted to think of something else that caused those marks. Like a mosquito. His eyes then drifted down to her left hand where she had her ring that was hidden under her gloves until now.

“You’re married,” he almost spat.

“I am,” Winter answered.

“What a shame.”

“You are not the first to make that remark,” She said, not at all worried that he lost interest in her. Men like him that were rising into power loved nothing else but to take what was not theirs.

“Where is your husband now?”

“Excuse me,” Aspen’s butler appeared at the doorway with a bow, “I have an Aplonis Starling at the door waiting to retrieve his wife.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and sorry for all the smut...because more is coming. Ha. 
> 
> @ Haley_HI Thank you for reading and I'm glad you liked their first time and my headcanon of Winter's food habits! haha 
> 
> @ Akira_0 Yes! It will be! Thank you for reading!
> 
> @ Miku Thank you for reading and I'm glad you're enjoying it!
> 
> Sneak peek for next chapter:
> 
> “You’re being childish,” Winter stated with a roll of her eyes.
> 
> “Don’t care,” he tugged her to him and kissed her cheek.
> 
> “Husband,” she hissed, still cleared-minded enough to not expose their identities.
> 
> “Careful, now,” Qrow wagged his finger at her. “One wrong move and you’ll rip that dress he gave you.”


	19. Mission | Part IV of IX

Qrow landed on the path curve leading to his and Winter’s makeshift home and transformed back into a man with ease. He paused when he rounded the corner of the path and saw that there were no lights coming from their home. It was late but not late enough that she would be sleeping. All the houses he flew over had some form of light spilling out but his did not.

Why?

He felt a rush of panic go through him, his semblance flared, causing the neighbor’s clothing line to snap and fall to the ground as he ran to the door. He slammed it open and turned on the lights, looking around their conjoined living room and kitchen. Nothing was out of place.

“Winter!” He shouted, hurrying to their bedroom and saw it was empty, too. Their bed was still made and her nightshirt was laying out with its top buttons missing due to his impatience that morning. He went to the restroom, checking there, too, just in case, but it was empty as well.

The garden.

He had to check the garden.

He ran outside to the back where Winter began to tend to the garden the day before yesterday. They inherited it and she forced him to help since she never cared for one before. She liked the rose bushes the best and had him digging up plots for the cucumber seeds their neighbor gave to them.

It was empty, too.

She was gone.

“Mr. Starling!”

Qrow turned around to face the elderly neighbor that was hastily shuffling her way to him with the help of her grandson. The same neighbor that liked to ramble about the seasonal vegetables they should be growing in their garden.

“Mr. Starling!” she called again.

“Madame Kay, have you seen-”

“Miss Zima hasn’t come home yet?” she asked in a worried tone.

“No. Do you know where she’s at?”

“Aspen’s,” the grandson answered. “Mr. Aspen took Miss Zima to his manor.”

“Aspen?”

“Yes, Issac Aspen. He owns the manor north from here.” Madame Kay said.

“Mr. Aspen saw Miss Zima in town after she arrived with the farmers and forced her to go with him to his manor.” The grandson said, “We saw it happen.”

“You must get her,” Madame Kay urged, “Aspen is a dangerous man with powerful friends.”

“No worries,” Qrow reassured her, “I’ll go get her right away.”

“Please hurry,” Madame Kay ambled to her porch with her grandson, “He not only has a history of dust dealing and faunus trafficking, but he’s also a deviant man who likes women. We tried to get the sheriff to arrest him but our village is too weak and doesn’t have the resources to go against him.”

Qrow gave a nod, “My wife and I will take of him. Thanks for letting me know.”

“Hurry!” Madame Kay shouted after him, watching Qrow run down the path towards the center of their village until he curved around a budding of trees. She and her grandson did not see him turn into a bird and take flight.

Qrow soared into the sky and flew as fast as he could towards the Aspen Manor. Of course, the moment Winter and he decided to investigate the manor this upcoming weekend was the moment Aspen arrived back from whatever trip he was on. It was also his luck that out of all the women in Row Aspen had to take a liking to Winter.

The wind was tranquil that night and Qrow’s flight was smooth. He saw the glow of the manor before he saw its wall. He flew around the second-floor windows that had light coming from the inside first, hoping to see a glimpse of Winter, wanting to know his situation before he dove in. There was nothing, so he flew around the first floor and stopped when he saw her.

He tapped the window, needing to meet her eyes, and when he did he felt a whirlwind of anger inside of him. She stood in a provocative dress that was not hers and wore that practiced upper-class smile he hated, but she was not in immediate danger.

He quickly transformed back to a man and went to the door, almost punching his fist against it when he knocked. He wanted to get her out of there. It was unsafe. Unsecured. Unplanned. So, when the butler opened the door he all but barreled in and remembered when the bright lights of the foyer hit him that he was not Qrow Branwen. He was Aplonis Starling, a kind recently married man who came to the Village of Row to eliminate the surrounding grimm with his wife, Zima. They knew nothing about Aspen and his nature.

“S-sir!” the butler scrambled behind him.

“Where’s my wife?” Qrow nearly snarled. He inhaled sharply when he saw the butler quake in his shoes, his tail lowering between his legs. He was a faunus. Qrow shut his eyes and raked a hand through his hair. “I’m Aplonis Starling. I’m here for my wife, Zima.”

“Y-yes,” the butler stammered, “I-I’ll go get her.”

“You do that.”

Qrow watched the butler powerwalk down a hall, trip over the carpet before rounding a corner. He barely heard him but the butler announced that Aplonis Starling was here for his wife. There was more voices speaking, one was Winter, and soon the butler turned the corner ahead of a tall blond man and Winter.

“Hey there, Sweetheart,” Qrow greeted, raising an eyebrow at her dress.

“Wine got spilled on my clothes,” Winter explained and gestured to the man next to her. “Mr. Aspen here was kind enough to lend me something to wear.”

“Please,” Aspen spoke with a boyish grin to her, “let it be a gift.”

“Nonsense, I will return it after dry cleaning it,” Winter quickly declined in that finality negotiating manner of hers, “Mr. Aspen, this is my husband, Aplonis. Dear, this is Isaac Aspen, he owns the forestry business here. He invited me for a tour, but I am afraid we did not get to it.”

“Nice to meet you,” Aspen held his hand out and Qrow took it after a weary moment.

“Likewise,” he said in a hard tone and clutched Aspen’s hand a little too firmly before letting go. He almost laughed when Aspen stretched his fingers out.

“Mrs. Starling,” the butler came back with Winter’s sabre.

“Thank you,” Winter smiled at the butler and turned to Aspen, “thank you for the invitation.”

“It was my pleasure. Though, please, let me invite you and your…husband back for another time for a proper tour beyond the parlor and the guest bedroom.”

Qrow scowled at the look Aspen shot him when he mentioned the guest bedroom. Winter pretended not to notice the tension between the men, “If it is not too much a bother.”

“For a woman of your caliber, never.” He said with that same damn grin that made Qrow itch for his weapon, and even more so when the blond reached for Winter’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Take care now,” he said.

“You, too. Farewell.”

Qrow threw an arm around Winter and led them out of the door. “Yeah. See ya,” he gave a lazy wave to Aspen and, for good measure, gave Winter a quick kiss. As he expected, she blushed immediately but stayed in his arm until they left Aspen’s property and were walking back down the road.

She shoved him away, hiding her face with her hands until she shot him a glare, “Was that necessary?!”

“It’s always necessary to kiss you,” he grabbed the hand Aspen kissed and rubbed it against his pants.

“You are being childish,” Winter stated with a roll of her eyes.

“Don’t care,” he tugged her to him and kissed her cheek.

“Husband,” she hissed, still cleared-minded enough to not expose their identities.

“Careful, now,” Qrow wagged his finger at her. “One wrong move and you’ll rip that dress he gave you.”

“I plan to return it,” she huffed.

“Are you sure? I think you stretched it out.” He eyed her hips and thighs and lingered on her ass for a long second. She narrowed her eyes at him and he laughed, “You know I’m not saying it’s as a bad thing.”

“I know you meant it in a…carnal manner.”

“Hip-to-waist ratio,” he reminded her and dodged the punch she aimed at his shoulder. “Gods, it’s really is tight, huh?” He laughed again, catching her easily as she tilted forward; the dress bunched up on her thighs. He kissed the valley between her breasts seconds before she pushed him away. “How did you spill wine on yourself anyways? Wasn’t being graceful and spill-proof a requirement in finishing school?”

“How long will you tease me on that?” She frowned. It wasn’t outlandishly strange that young girls in her social class to attend finishing school during the summer.

“For a bit longer,” he grinned.

“He had his maid spill wine on me.”

“So, it was on purpose?”

“Certainly,” she said. “Though, I believe it did not work out in his favor.”

“How’s that.”

Winter blushed fully this time and was thankful that the evening muted the red, “The dress did not hide the marks you left this morning.”

“I should leave more, then,” his mouth was almost touching the shell of her ear. Surprised at the sensation, Winter kicked the back of his foot and it nearly caused him to trip.

“Will you behave?!”

He was laughed loudly with a wicked gleam in his eye, “I will if you give me a reason to and we know you have plenty.”

“Oh, hold your tongue and lend me your jacket,” she demanded, knowing it was best to ignore his antics when he was in this kind of mood. “I feel too expose in this dress.”

Qrow quickly settled, he normally did so whenever he felt Winter wasn’t entirely comfortable. Thankful that he decided to bring a jacket to their outing today, he handed it to her. The black jacket was long enough that it went an inch or two under her bottom. He was not expecting, however, for her to zip it up completely, hand him her sabre, and maneuver underneath the fabric to remove the dress without baring her naked body to the world.

“Fuck me,” he stated quite seriously and caught the dress when she shimmied out of it from underneath his jacket and kicked it to him.

“Language.”

“You’re wearing nothing underneath.”

"Husband."

"Am I right?"

“I’m wearing panties,” she slapped his hand away from her hips and pointed a finger at him, “No.”

“A look.”

“No.”

“A peek, then.”

This time she laughed, “no.”

“One squeeze.”

“Will you stop?”

“When we get home?”

“No. There is still more regarding Aspen and we have to discuss what we will do now that he has returned.”

“Ok, but afterward?”

“Why are you not taking this seriously?”

“I am. I just know there’s more to life than arresting a philandering man trying to feel up my wife.”

“Darling,” she stopped and gave him a hard glare but he only smirked.

“Yes, Wife?”

“Behave.”

“Can I get a kiss if I do?” He asked, pleased at her frown. She walked off and he hurried next to her. “Snow Queen,” He called to her in that exasperating tone he liked to use when he was in the mood for sex.

She gave him a warning look, “Behave and maybe I will give you something better.”

~o~o~o~o~

“I was expecting something better,” Qrow sulked, drinking coffee from a mug.

“Oh? What were you expecting,” Winter asked, walking out of their room after showering and changing into her sleepwear.

“You on the table instead of this mess,” he thrust his hand towards the dining table where their dinner and stacks of files and papers were waiting for them.

“Why would I be on the table?”

“Because I like having dessert before dinner,” he glanced at the juncture between her thighs, almost sighing longingly.

Winter smacked him in the face with a thin file, “You had it this morning.”

Qrow took the file off his face, “So?”

Winter sat across from him, “Stop being a glutton and focus on why we are here.”

“Fine,” Qrow frowned, “But I’ll remember this.”

“So far, we can confirm that Aspen has two faunus,” Winter said as if she did not hear his declaration.

“Shaking in their fucking boots, that’s for sure.”

“The revenue his business is making does not equate to the monetary value of his home and the items residing inside.”

“So, naturally, we can assume it’s from the rumored dust trading and faunus trafficking. Once we get into that forestry, we can confirm it and send that tidbit to Oz.”

Winter glanced over some paperwork. They had files on everyone in the Village of Row, research on each residence and their past. Scribbles added in by either her or Qrow when they discovered something new. Winter paused on Milo’s file, he was one of the farmers that traveled with them today.

“Who told you I was at Aspen’s?” Winter asked. She liked to keep contact reports of who they spoke with each day.

“Madame Kay and her lovesick grandson. Which reminds me, what the hell?” Qrow scowled and leaned forward, annoyed with her. “You can’t just go off to a crime lord’s house without telling me.”

“It was not an active choice,” Winter said. “It happened in a span of a minute or two. He offered, I declined, he ignored, and off we went.”

“And you couldn’t send me a message?”

“The CCT is not dependable. Even if I did message you, you might have not received it. There was also half the town being witnesses to him dragging me to his home and I knew one of them would tell you.”

“Winter.”

“I did as what any other huntress would do,” she stated and saw his mouth clenched shut.

“Yeah,” he turned away from her.

“Stop pouting.”

“I’m not! I was just worried,” he huffed.

She wanted to argue that he had no reason to worry. She was fully capable in taking care of her herself and if something happened that she would fail, she had already accepted that reality. Then, she imaged if their role were reversed and a bubbling sense of anxiety rose in her. She wondered how many times since they had met had she almost lost him during a mission.

Winter took a bite of their dinner that was getting cold. “I apologize for making you worry,” she said.

Qrow looked over at her, knowing she was being sincere, and grumbled, “I’m sorry, too.”

“Whatever for?”

He gave a twitch of a grin, “honestly, I don’t know. Just felt like I needed to say it, too.”

“Dinner is good,” she mentioned lightly.

“Yeah?” He joined in eating their dinner.

The chestnut soup was decent and heavy, and he was glad it came out well. Since there were no more than ten restaurants in the town, Qrow had to resort to making their meals when it was his turn. She smirked at his surprised expression when she was able to cook a hearty lunch for them on their first day, reminding him again to keep her out of his drunken fantasies. She laughed when he tried to cook dinner that night and burned the curtains.

The coffee in Qrow’s mug gleamed and her mirth fell, remembering the wine and Misty’s warning. “He drugs women.”

“What?”

“Misty, the maid, warned me against drinking the wine,” Winter said, her eyes narrowing. “The looks the farmers and their families had, him forcing me to go for a tour of his home, spilling wine on me, and making me wear clothing that was not mine. He had done this before.”

Qrow clenched his hand into a fist and inhaled sharply to relax his grip, “We should ask around tomorrow about that. Since everyone saw you go with him, it won’t be suspicious if we ask some questions here and there. Winter.”

“Yes?”

“Avoid being alone with him,” he said in a hard voice. “I’m saying this as your mentor of this mission and not as the guy that wants to fuck you on this table hard and fast.”

Winter kicked his chair with an embarrassed glare; “I should avoid being alone with you.”

“I’ll just get creative in public then,” he winked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Thank you for reading another chapter of my "I wasn't planning this to be this long but I'm in this deep already" qrowin/snowbird fic!
> 
> @Haley_HI and @Akira_0; Thank you! I glad you like my interpretation of the change in their relationship. I felt the way I was writing them basically had them blatantly showing feelings for each other without saying it. If anything, Winter kissing him was her confession. haha
> 
> @ Megan toncray; thank you for reading and leaving a comment! Also, I'm grateful that you like my version of "accidentally frozen soft serve ice cream" Winter and the relationship between Qrow and Winter. I want to do them justice not only for myself and the characters but for readers like you who want more Qrowin content. Again, thank you.
> 
> @highwind91; Thank you so much! It makes me really happy and proud to hear that someone binge my story! I have plenty of chapters and ideas left for this fic, so I hope you're okay with sticking with me for a while.
> 
> Sneak peek of the next chapter - that will also have smut in it:
> 
> “Qrow,” Winter warned.
> 
> “We’re married.”
> 
> “We’re not actually married,” she reminded him.
> 
> “Hey, those are divorcing words and I don’t appreciate them,” he reprimanded, happy to see a twitch of her smile, “Now, as I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, there’re always compromises in marriage and the compromise in this situation is that I replace the bra I destroyed and buy you a matching set.”


	20. Mission | Part V of IX

soothedOn her back, Winter glared up at Qrow in dissatisfaction. Despite being able to land three solid hits and immobilizing him by twisting his arm onto his back, Qrow was able to escape her grasps and now here they were in a deadlock with their weapons pointed at the other's neck. He looked entirely smug, radiating a self-satisfying aura that was suffocating her.  
  
“Do I get a prize for winning?” He leaned closer, eyes darkening as he ignored the sharp blade gliding close to his throat.  
  
“Who said you won?”  
  
“I have the upper hand here by having you pinned. So, I win,” he pulled his sword away from her throat.  
  
“We never said anything about this being a competition,” she argued, hearing his weapon impaling the ground next to her head.  
  
“True, but you said if I help you train you’d give me a reward.” He took her sabre and stabbed into the ground next to his weapon, the smell of fresh cut grass wafted through for a second.  
  
“You must have been dropped on your head as a babe to think I would say such a thing.”  
  
"You're blushing," he went to his knees and leaned over her.

"Do you expect someone not to blush?" Winter scowled, attempting to control her breathing but her heart was thundering violently.  
  
His accuracy was commendable as he was able to cut her vest, blouse, and bra straight down the middle, allowing a sliver of her unharmed skin to appear. She hated that he destroyed her clothing and hated herself even more for not blocking the attack. Nevertheless, she was embarrassed and extremely aggravated with him.  
  
“Qrow,” she hissed his name sharply, her nails digging into his forearms.  
  
“Hm?” He kissed her cheek, nuzzling into her and she was struggling to keep a stern look.  
  
"We are outside.”

"Let’s move inside, then. I still want to fuck you on the dinner table,” he kissed her soundly, his tongue pushing into her mouth and engaging hers in a heated dance. He gripped her waist, smirking when he felt her arch and her torn clothes part. He trailed kisses down her jaw and neck, continuing until he bit her and she smacked his arm.  
  
“This is not why or how I asked you to train with me.”  
  
“I’m helping you,” he wagged his eyebrows at her, “just in more than one way.”  
  
She pushed him off of her after he pressed a kiss between her breasts, “Branwen!”  
  
“Careful,” he shook his finger at her as he moved to lie on his side, propping his head up with a fist. “We’re outside. Don’t want to reveal ourselves, do we, Wife?”  
  
She pursed her lips, lying there as she counted to ten to calm down. She heard him snicker and turned her head to glare at him, “Can you be anymore maddening?”  
  
“Yes,” he chuckled as she gave a deep sigh and went back to staring at the sky. “Your left side was open this time,” he said, wanting to help her as she requested but, again, the need to tease her rose once more. “Can I get a kiss now?”  
  
“No, I assumed as much when you dodged my attack and went for my side.”  
  
“Okay, but can I still get my kiss?”  
  
“You already got your kiss.”  
  
“I want another.”  
  
“You will get nothing, you grackle.”  
  
A laugh burst from Qrow, deep within his chest and he tugged at a lock of her hair. “Don’t be like that. You asked for my help.”  
  
“You did not help me. What you did was flirt with me constantly –”  
  
“You’re my wife. I can flirt with you if I want to.”  
  
“-and find it necessary to cut my clothes,” she sat up, shaking her hair free from the pieces of twigs and strands of grass that was tangled in there. “Now, why is that?”  
  
Qrow stood up, dusting off his pants and offered her his hand, “I saw an opportunity and I took it.”  
  
Winter formed a glyph underneath his foot and moved it forward, causing him to fall backward. “You owe me a new vest,” she said, standing up and holding her clothes shut.  
  
“Yup,” he sat up, dusting the dirt from the back of his head.  
  
“And a new blouse.” She grabbed her sabre.  
  
“Sure,” he stood up and grabbed his sword.  
  
“And a new bra.”  
  
“Can I pick it?”  
  
“No,” Winter created another glyph under his foot and made him fall once more, but he quickly caught himself and was up again in three smooth steps.  
  
“Worth a try,” he grinned, following her into their home. “Wait. I just realized something.”  
  
“What is that?”  
  
“I can buy you two,” he closed the door behind them. Placing his weapon next to the couch as she did. “Whatever you want and then whatever I want.”  
  
“Qrow,” Winter warned.  
  
“We’re married.”  
  
“We are not actually married,” she reminded him.  
  
“Hey, those are divorcing words and I don’t appreciate them,” he reprimanded, happy to see a twitch of her smile, “Now, as I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, there’re always compromises in marriage and the compromise in this situation is that I replace the bra I destroyed and buy you a new matching set.”  
  
“A matching set?”  
  
“I want a matching set. Bra and panties. Stockings, too. Oh, and a garter belt.”  
  
Winter regarded him wearily for a moment, “I imagine you have options in mind already.”  
  
“Yup. Since we met.”  
  
“You are a scoundrel, Qrow Branwen.”  
  
“A scoundrel that keeps you entertained.”  
  
Winter rolled her eyes, “I get the final say on the matching set.”  
  
“Deal,” he grinned happily.  
  
“What little it takes to amuse you,” Winter turned towards their bedroom with the intention to change. They had a dinner to attend in an hour.  
  
“Win,” Qrow called for her and when she looked back at him with a little hum, he swooped down for a kiss. Pulling her close with one hand gripping her hips and twisting her around. She went up to the tips of her toes to meet his kiss, grasping his shoulders as she stepped towards him.  
  
“Let’s have a rematch,” his words hot against her lips, “Winner gets to do whatever they want to the loser.”  
  
“We need to get ready,” she said, referring to the dinner and tour they had at Aspen that evening.  
  
Another week has passed since they encountered the young crime lord that had the galls to flirt with Winter in front of him. The boyish charms and pretty words, however, had no effect on her and most of the time she didn’t realize he was flirting. Nevertheless, Qrow knew and it irritated him to no ends. After every encounter, he had to kiss her until she was weak in the knees and breathless, moaning his name in that husky tone he liked.  
  
He lifted her up and held her steady as she gasped and squirmed in his arms. He moved them back until they hit the dining table. He sat her on it and went to push her cut clothes off of her. “We got plenty of time,” he said, unzipping her skirt and tugging them off with the rest of her clothing.  
  
“We only have an hour,” she argued, arching her back when he kissed his way from her neck to her breast. “We will be late.”  
  
“Asshat can wait. Getting my fill of you is more important,” he said, capturing a taut nipple in his mouth.  
  
Winter exhaled heavily, her fingers biting into his shoulder and arm now. “Qrow,” her voice was in that husky tone but shook at the end. Glancing up, he made eye contact with her while trailing his tongue to the other dusty pink peak. “Do not leave marks,” she said, her thighs parting to accommodate him.  
  
“Shoulders?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Then lower?” He pushed her knees up, kissing the tender skin there. “Here?” he asked. She was panting, widening her legs a little more. “Answer me. Because I can also leave them here,” he kissed her inner thighs, looking at her hotly. “Snow Queen.”  
  
“Yes,” she rushed out, interlacing her hand with his as she fidgeted on the table.  
  
“Where else?” Qrow crept down her inner right thigh, kissing and nipping on the skin there hastily. She gasped, shutting her eyes at his mouth touching her heat, rolling her body to his sloppy lap. “Winter.”  
  
“Hm?” she hummed and went stiff when he took her clit between his lips and tongued it in steady circles. Her heat was a fountain of honey, coating her outer lips and thighs, beckoning him to eat until he was satisfied.  
  
“I’m going to fuck you so good right now.”  
  
She hit his shoulder in embarrassment, but it got him what he wanted, that uninhabited roar of want and longing in her eyes, her hands tugging him to her. To make Winter fluster, words needed to be direct and to the point; telling her what he wanted and what he was going to do caused her to whimper and tremble, making her eyes hazy and her legs part like they were now.  
  
He moved up to her kiss her hard, his hands scrambling to undo his pants as she skillfully removed his cape and button-up shirt. “Make it quick,” she said, kissing him softly.  
  
He scoffed, “Why should I? It’ll be better if we skip dinner.”  
  
“I will give you an incentive,” she said and that caught his interest.  
  
“Incentive?”  
  
She nodded, hooking her legs high on his hips. “I will get on my knees for you.”  
  
He grinned, amused that she still refused to use the term blowjob, “offering to suck me off as a reward?”  
  
Winter was already warm but his question brought a new wave of heat in her. The heat also traveled between her legs, pulsing in excitement in tasting him. Winter smoothed her hands over him, over the hundreds of scars on his hard body, and trailed them up to his jaw where his stubble has grown to a short beard. She loved the coarse hair on her skin.  
  
“Not good enough?” she asked, her lips ghosting over his. The twinkle in his red eyes told her it was. The same twinkle hardened to a gleam and she knew he was envisioning it just as she was envisioning his heated flesh on her tongue.  
  
“Is this more for me or for you?” Qrow asked, “I can practically see you panting for my cock.”  
  
She was going to retort when she jolted at his manhood slapping against her core. She imaged it inside of her, filling her until she thought she would burst. He chuckled at her whimpering and her hips rolling to feel him more.  
  
“Would you prefer if I am panting for someone else’s?” She shot back and gasped when he flipped her onto her stomach, her toes barely touching the floor.  
  
“No,” he snarled, pushing into her fully. Winter withered underneath him, her core pulsing tightly over him. “I accept the blowjob,” he declared, kissing her shoulder and cheek before he began a quick shallow thrust. She engulfed his entire cock to the hilt; his sack smacking her skin loudly with every pump and it was titillating to hear it reverberate in the room.  
  
He leaned up and took a firm hold of her hips, watching his length disappear into her hot coven that leaked her delectable nectar over him and down her thighs. Licking his lips at the sensation of curling pleasure plucking at him, he pumped harder. The healthy swell of her ass rippling with each slap of hip.  
  
“Qrow,” she moaned out sharply, leaning up on one elbow to feel some control but her eyes shut involuntarily.  
  
“Feeling good?” He asked, knowing the answer through her tightening over him.  
  
“Y-yes,” she answered with a low whine, cheeks flush at her submissiveness but she loved it, loved having no control and only focusing on the rising gratification that was producing low in her womb.  
  
“Talk to me,” he kissed her shoulder, “what do you feel?”  
  
She was speechless when he changed his rhythm that ended in a grind, and when she didn’t answer he stopped. “Qrow,” she huffed, kicking her feet.  
  
“Answer me,” he said, using the break to ebb his approaching orgasm.  
  
“Hot. Warm,” she spat out, rolling her hips, needing something, “Annoyed.”  
  
He chuckled at her soft glare and he thrust once, bottoming out of her, “Anything else?”  
  
“You,” she bit out, “I feel you inside of me, stretching me, and I swear, Branwen, if you do not-ah.” She ended her threat with a whiny moan as he started his pounding in her again, hard and quick and short. Her orgasm whining and curling and she tasted it on her tongue. She was almost there. 

Qrow grabbed her right thigh and moved it up next to her body as he half climbed onto the table, the tapered head of his cock rubbed against the engorging spot inside of her and she came.  
  
Qrow watched her smile blissfully, her back arching and thighs quivering, and kissed her wildly, still rolling his hips into her constricting core. He pumped heavily a few more times, biting and lapping her neck until he burst inside of her. He tugged her closer to him, grinding into her and ensuring every ounce of his cum filled her. He met her kiss with a smile.

~o~o~o~o~

“How much longer are you going to be mad?” Qrow asked, trailing a step behind Winter.  
  
“Five more minutes,” she stated, leading them to the Aspen Manor for the dinner party the crime lord was hosting.  
  
Qrow chuckled in amusement and she sent him a glare. He truly didn’t mean to leave an overly large love mark on her neck and he forgot when he made it. Neither didn’t notice it until she went to tie her hair up and he pointed it out. She thought he was teasing until she saw it in the mirror. After she fumed at him for a few minutes with her cheeks aflame, she styled her hair in a low braid that covered it after she tossed him out of the bathroom.  
  
It was comical, even more so when he goes to touch her and she jerked away from him with a bitter frown. Despite being upset, what he liked was her willingness to let things go easily. It wasn’t the first time he annoyed Winter to the point she refused to talk to him. She even locked him out of the house after he accidentally spilled honey on her thigh and licked it off while having coffee with Madame Kay. But after she made him apologize, which he always does, and stew for a few minutes, she would either sigh or roll her shoulders back and talk to him again.  
  
He imaged her level of forgiveness was remnants of being an older sister to two siblings that were six to nine years younger than her.  
  
Qrow goes to kiss her forehead and while she huffed in protest, she didn’t move away. The afternoon sun was almost gone and the cool mountain air would soon brush against them. She forgot and refused to return for her shawl when she left the house in a fit of displeasure. Qrow only laughed and followed after her.  
  
“Are you cold?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“When you get cold let me know. I’ll give you my jacket.” Grinning, he pressed another kiss to her forehead and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  
  
“Fine.” She answered in the same curt manner and he held back his snickering.  
  
Tugging at the sleeve of his dark grey jacket, he wondered briefly where Winter was able to find semi-formal clothing for them in the tiny village. He would have asked if she wasn’t determined to answer with one word. She looked nice; her dress was simple for once and matched his tie, a rich red that ended slightly above her knees.  
  
He never thought he would ever enjoy getting dressed for a formal event but there was something in getting ready Winter that changed that. He wasn't sure if it was her presenting him with a tie and jacket that went with his trouser. Or that she ensured that her dress went along with his suit. Again, he mentioned it was quite domestic and, again, she likened it to dressing a child. Nevertheless, watching her fix his tie made a warmth burst inside, a peaceful bliss.  
  
“What’s the plan?” she asked.  
  
“Oh? Talking now?”  
  
“It has been five minutes.”  
  
“So, you’re not mad anymore?”  
  
“No.”  
  
He gave her a look.  
  
“A little,” she corrected  
  
He kissed her cheek, chuckling at her small protest. “We’ll just wait it out, see how much information he’s willing to give.”  
  
“It is going to be a party of at least thirty.”  
  
“How you know that?”  
  
“I ran into Mrs. Apollo, she mentioned that Aspen invited everyone on her street.”  
  
“Doesn’t she live in that well-to-do street?”  
  
“Yes, so expect to mingle with the affluent people of Row.”  
  
Qrow sighed, “How is it we always get drag into their business?”  
  
“They are the ones who are easily guided towards corruption,” she said. “I will speak with Misty, gather what she knows, and mingle around with the wives.”  
  
“Leaving me to deal with the men, then, Wife?”  
  
“Of course, Husband, unless you prefer that I do.”  
  
“I got them.” He grinned, “If it was you, though, they're probably become putty in your hands after batting your lashes at them.”  
  
“Oh, are you speaking from personal experience?” Seeing his embarrassed scowl was a rare delight and she smiled haughtily. “I was not aware that was all it took to vex you.”  
  
“Yeah. Yeah,” Qrow grunted. "Look. We're here."  
  
“What of Aspen?” Winter asked as they arrived at the gated entrance of the manor.  
  
“I’ll handle him.”  
  
“Are you sure? I already established a connection with him.”  
  
“What kind of connection?” Qrow asked with a displeased scowl.  
  
“The kind that will make him talk freely with me because I have not given the impression that I want to stab him with my sword.”  
  
“Yet.”  
  
“Yet,” she agreed.  
  
“Make a vague threat towards a man’s life and everyone’s feathers are ruffled.” Qrow pulled his arm away from her and offered to her his elbow instead as they got closer to the main entrance. “I say I’ll still handle him.”  
  
“Overprotective,” she stated, curling her hand over his elbow.  
  
“Just trying to keep my cute wife safe and sound.”  
  
“Cute?” she repeated outraged seconds before the front door opened and the same faunas butler from before welcomed them.  
  
“Avoid drinking anything,” he whispered to her.  
  
“It will look suspicious if I do not,” she whispered back.  
  
“Drink from my cup only, then,” he teased as they stepped inside, pressing one more kiss to her cheek.  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
“Zima, there you are.”

Winter turned around to face Aspen who was trying all evening to speak with her but has been intercepted by either his guest or one of Qrow’s misdirecting rouse. However, he was able to slip through Qrow’s semblance and excuse himself from Mrs. Fowler who wanted his opinion on a new dish she was creating.

“Aspen,” Winter smiled politely, “How are you?”

“Marvelous, but better now that I’m speaking with you; and please, call me Isaac.”

“As long as it is fine with you.”

“It is. Did you enjoy the dinner?”

“Yes, it was lovely.”

“Not as lovely as the company,” he said with a slight bow, “I actually wanted to show you something.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. You think you can escape with me for a moment?”

“I believe so.”

“Your husband won’t get jealous?”

“He has no reason to,” Winter assured him, seeing the challenging gleam it produced in his gaze.

“What grace he has to capture a fine woman like you,” Aspen smiled and gestured for her to follow him.

Winter looked over her shoulder, catching Qrow’s sharp glare before following Aspen out of the large salon to a lone brightly lit hallway. They went upstairs and walked another long hall. Winter observed the fine antiquity he had loitering about. Marble statues and oil paintings, all scatter and finely organized, opposite to the opulent minimal style of the Schnee Manor.

“In here,” Aspen said, opening a large oak door and allowed her to enter first. “This is my study, I do most of my business here,” he explained.

Like the rest of the house, the furniture was made from the same Row wood, warm and red. Even the imposing bookshelves on the south wall were made with the same material. Winter walked towards the bookshelves, trailing her hand over the books until she found one regarding the geographic region of Row. She pulled it from its place and flipped through it as Aspen went to a cabinet and retrieved a different book there, it was a foot in length with an aged red cover.

“Do you like books?” he asked.

“I do,” she answered, closing the regional book and placing it back. “May I assume you do, as well?”

“Well,” he glanced around his study that had hundreds of books. “You can say I’m just beginning my interest. Come now, I want to show you this.”

Winter went towards his desk, looking at the red book he presented to her, “Another book?”

“A fairy tale,” he corrected, “The Queen of Nix.”

“Oh, you have a copy of it?” Winter picked the book up and leafed through it as well, stopping at each rich illustration she came across.

“Yes, after you mentioned it the other day, I embarrassedly have to admit that I was not fully familiar with the story. I heard it in passing but failed to read it. So, I looked for it in my library and saw that my mother had a copy in her collection.”

“And you read it?”

“I did,” he answered, walking around her to go to his alcohol cabinet next to a grand window. He poured a glass of whiskey. “It’s quite a story. I would even say powerful and…somber.”

“Agreed,” Winter said, glancing up from the book to his desk, reading scattered papers that were strewn on top.

“What do you think happened to her?”

“The Queen?”

“Yes.”

Winter’s eyes narrowed on a single note with a date and the longitude and latitude of a location before turning to him. “I believe she spent the rest of her life fighting to keep her throne and stabilizing her government."

“And not fall in love?”

“Difficult to find love when a country is unstable,” Winter closed the book and looked back to him, “even more so to maintain it.”

“Wise words.”

“Necessary actions when in power,” Winter said, lowering her gaze to appear demure. Oh, if Qrow saw her he would burst out laughing.

“Drink?” Aspen offered before he apologized, “My blunder. I forgot you are…well.”

“No, it is fine. I am not, yet,” she smiled. “If you do not mind and if you still have the energy, can you tell me more about your forestry? I never encounter a business that involves the cultivating of wood.”

“Of course, no worries,” Aspen reassured her and gestured to sit down on one of the large plush armchairs across from him. He explained how he established his business when he was fifteen years of age and made it official with a business license when he was twenty. He went into detail the equipment he needed to purchase the process of cultivating trees, cutting, transporting, and the side business he had of design and woodwork.

Winter nodded excitedly and asked simple questions, and thanks to the drinks he had, his tongue was loose. He elaborated on his labor force being mostly comprised of faunus. How he used dust for implementing sharp winds to cut half a dozen trees in one swipe. He off-handedly name-dropped some Vale politicians with horrid reputation regarding anti-faunus agenda and laundering low-quality dust, mentioning that he hosted many meeting with them at his manor during the spring when it was pleasant for most politicians to travel.

“Are you thinking of entering politics?” Winter asked.

“Perhaps. Mingling with these politicians broaden my interest, but I would need to take into consideration the legacy I am building and who should control it if I enter it. There is also the factor of settling down.”

“Settling down?”

“Yes. I am thirty-five and at the age where I would like to find a wife and perhaps have my own children,” he eyed her and Winter kept her smile. “Which is why it’s such a shame you’re taken.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, a woman like you would make an adequate wife who would look after the house and children.”

Winter wanted to disagree. She was much too interested in creating a career than becoming a housewife. “I apologize, then,” she said.

“No reason as long as you let me be the first to know when your marriage fails.”

“Do not jest,” she giggled, the noise even sounded unnatural to her.

There was a knock on the door, soft and timid. Misty entered soon after and gave a bow, mentioning Aspen guests were wondering where he was. Laughing, Aspen dismissed her and gave Winter his best smile. “It seems I got so wrapped up with you I forgot about my other guests.”

“I believe you will need to apologize to your guests instead of me. I enjoyed our conversation,” she stood up when he did.

“The book,” he went to grab it from his desk, “I hope you can accept it as a gift.”

Winter smiled gratefully, “Oh, that is truly kind of you. If it is not too much of bother, can I stay behind for a minute or so to finish looking through it?”

“Yes,” Aspen handed the book to her, “I’ll send Misty back upstairs in a few minutes to get you then.”

“That would be wonderful, I would hate to get lost but, then again, it would be a delight to see the splendor of your home.”

“Next time, then,” his eyes darkened, “I will show the entire splendor to you in depth.”

“Thank you. Now, go, I would hate to keep you from your guests for another moment longer.”

Aspen grasped her hand and kissed her fingers firmly, making sure his eyes stayed connected with hers, “I will see you soon, I hope.”

“You will,” Winter smiled and went to sit to read the book as he left to return back to the salon.  
  
A few moments after the door closed, Winter glanced up around the room; she did not notice any cameras when she came in and looked at all the places her father and his associates liked to keep hidden cameras. As a precautious, Winter grabbed the book and went over to the desk, acting as if she needed a better place to read.

She set the book on some papers after reviewing them quickly and pretended to read and flip through the pages as she gazed over the paper on Aspen’s desk. She memorized the date and the longitude and latitude, and read over some of his letters without disturbing them.

Another knock came from the door and Misty entered, “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Winter stood up and closed the book. “Misty.”

“Yes?”

“How did you come here?”

Misty paled and gulped loudly. “Mr. Aspen brought me here,” she answered quickly and gestured towards the hall, “If we may.”

“Of course,” Winter grabbed the book and followed Misty downstairs back to the lively salon. Misty excused herself and Winter watched her leave, holding her right arm closer to her body. Winter wondered if she got hurt.  
  
“Wife.”

Winter turned around to face Qrow, lifting an eyebrow at the displeased expression he had. “Husband.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, commenting, and leaving kudos!! I'm super glad in giving something back to the Qrowin community. Also, side note, am I the only person who has the headcanon that Winter is, in fact, the most rebellious Schnee sibling? Like, despite being the in the military I can completely see her going against orders to do what she thought was right. Based off the manga, she protected Weiss by going against her father's order and it seems like it wasn't the first time. Then, she bounced from the Schnee house to join the military after Atlas without her parents' permission. Then, it also seems like her getting reprimanded by Ironwood for her action towards Qrow was not a first time thing either. If Winter was with the crew right now in V.6 to steal the airship; not only will she be down with staking an airship, she would probably have a better plan, too. haha Or, at least, that's my headcanon. 
> 
> @ Akira_0 I'm glad you hate Aspen, too. I wanted to have a villain that is not that strong in physical strength but strong because of the consequences his actions have. Also, I couldn't have Qrowin beat Aspen in part 4 when there's five more chapters in this arc left. haha
> 
> @ Megan+toncray glad you liked the exchanged between them! haha
> 
> @ highwind91 Oh, there's going to be a lot of banter between them. That's the only way they know how to talk to one another. 
> 
> @ Haley_HI Thank you!! Yeah, the fact I'm in chapter 20 and we're not even in Winter's military years yet should...give you some idea how many chapters there're left until the V.3 Qrowin fight. 
> 
> Sneak peek of the next chapter - also more smut. _(:3」∠)_ Sorry.:
> 
> Qrow burst out laughing, “that’s your favorite fairytale?”
> 
> “It is. I had my caretaker tell me the story many times when I was little.”
> 
> “You mean your nanny?”
> 
> Winter pushed her hair behind her ear, “If that is what you wish to call Klein.” 
> 
> Qrow scooted his chair closer to her. “Tell me the story.”


	21. Mission | Part VI of IX

He was scowling and she stifled her chuckle, but it still came out in a small muffled huff and he snorted angrily. Placing his hand on her waist, he stealthily moved them towards the opposite side of the room and curved down a hall.

“We are impolitely venturing away from the party.”

“Fuck politeness,” Qrow said in a hard, low voice, opening a random door to an empty sunroom and lead them inside.

In the vacant room, Winter placed the book on a table and went to tell Qrow everything, not noticing his full displeasure until she began to speak. Her first word being Aspen’s name and he pressed her into the wall behind her with a fierce kiss. Winter gripped his forearms, steading her stance through the storm of his mouth, the intrusion of his tongue making her lightheaded as she tried to match it.

Qrow felt jealous. He hated the feeling of jealousy but he never felt it at this level before or over someone. He also never felt helpless; watching as fucking Aspen smoothly took her away upstairs, away from him and he had to blindly hope that he did nothing to her. For more than forty minutes he had to listen to the drone conversation of men and women he did not care, gathering information reinforcing what he and Winter already knew, with the looming concern that she was upstairs alone with a crime lord.

Then Aspen appeared without her back downstairs, throwing him a smug smile before speaking to one of his guests. Qrow’s gaze lingered to the staircase and for long minutes he waited, looking at the clock as six minutes passed, then seven, and then she appeared.

Parting, he grinned at the narrowing of her eyes; completely clashing with the red on her cheeks and her shallow pants. Gods, she was lovely. "Hey there, Sweetheart," he kissed her cheek warmly.

"You are drunk." She threw the accusation at him. Realizing he had not had a single glass of alcohol since their first night together.

"Am not."

"I was gone for thirty minutes. How did you get this drunk?"

"You were gone for forty-four and I only had one," he said, his arm anchoring her to him and mouth nipping at her neck.

"One glass?"

"One bottle."

"Qrow."

"It was small," he defended but the expression she had said she was not convinced.

"Dolt."

"I think you're great, too," he leaned in for another kiss but she placed her hand against his face and pushed him back.

"No."

"Why not?" he frowned.

"Setting," she said coldly, gasping when he bit the tender skin between her thumb and forefinger.

"What about it?" He kissed the hand he bit, "We're alone. No one saw us and if it's about the mood, give me a few seconds and I'll put you in it, but from the look on your face, I think you're already in it."

This time she stepped on his foot, firm enough to surprise him but not hard enough that it will hurt him. "What put you in an awful mood?"

"I'm not."

"Oh? So, you do not want to hear what I found upstairs while I was gone for...what was it? Forty-one minutes?"

"Forty-four," Qrow grounded, "and I don't."

"Why is that?"

"Doesn't matter. We agreed that I would take care of Aspen," Qrow stated, "You went against orders."

"You cannot lecture me on that and especially now," she scowled and looked down between them, and he followed her gaze, his entire chest was smashed against hers awfully inappropriately.

"Got me there," he murmured, giving her ass a hefty squeeze.

"Qrow," she hissed, "you can either be upset or aroused, not both."

"I can be both."

Winter rolled her eyes, "I only got involved because you were doing an awful job and, as I stated before, I already formed a connection with him."

"Fine," he frowned and pulled away from her, folding his arms he gestured to her to talk. "Report what happened."

"Melodramatic," she huffed at him. "He has records of all of his transactions with politicians regarding illegal dust trade. Additionally, reports on production and comparing it to the amount of faunus he has enslaved."

"Of course he fucking does."

"I also found some coordinates and dates."

His ire was momentarily placed aside at the mention of possible locations, "You think it's about that upcoming attack?"

"Possibly."

"We'll send them to Ozpin and Jimmy once we're home. Anything else?"

"He is thinking about entering into politics," Winter offered, "it seems his ties to Vale politicians are stronger than what we expected."

"And the book?" He asked, picking it up and flipping through the pages.

"A gift."

"A gift?"

"A gift."

"For who?"

"Me."

"Why is a man who isn't your husband giving you gifts?"

"Qrow."

"Did he try to give you another gift," he dropped the book on the table where it made a solid thud. "Hm? Winter," he stepped forward, his hands cradling her face and his lips brushing against hers lightly. "Snow Queen?"

"Stop being jealous,” she said, unmoved by his pout.

"But I am," he said and the honesty made her pause. "So?"

"He did not. He only offered to be my second husband once we divorce."

"That son of a bitch," he turned to march out the door, and Winter grabbed his wrist, forcing him to turn back to her.

"Stop being childish. It is not going to happen."

"It's not?"

Winter placed her hands on her hips, "No, because we are not married."

"Why do you keep throwing that to my face."

"Because it is true."

"Fine. Marry me," he said and chuckled at her frown.

“Be serious.”

“I am,” he said after giving her another kiss, quick and chaste. "Why a book?"

"When we met, he asked me what my favorite fairy tale was. I told him it was the Queen of Nix."

"And he bought you one?"

"Worst. He found it in his mother's collection."

"And gave it to you?" He snorted, "He's trying hard to win you over."

There was a shuffling of noise coming from the hall outside and Winter grabbed the book from the table while Qrow dragged her to a corner, a crevice behind a bookcase that was blocked by a changing screen. The door opened and there were two voices speaking to one another. Hush and low. Suddenly, one chuckled and Qrow and Winter relaxed. It was probably party guests that decided to get away like them.

"Winter," Qrow whispered next to her ear, tightening his arms around her.

"Yes?" She whispered back in the same low volume.

"Move the book."

"Oh, is it hurting you?" She began to slowly shimmy the book out from between them.

"Not really. I just want to feel your boobs."

"Qrow."

"Can I get that blowjob you promised me?" He asked and she stepped on his foot, causing him to grunt in pain and curl around her to muffle his laugh that was hot on her shoulder, curling down her back.

“Silence,” she hissed, cheeks red.

"You're trembling."

"I am not."

"You are. Excited? Want me?” He kissed her cheek and ear, feeling her shiver when he traced the shell of her ear with his tongue. He pulled her hips against his. His length making its presence known to her. “I want you. Gods, I always want you.”

Winter squirmed at the sensation, her hold of the book loosen as he took it out of her hands and quietly placed it on the bookshelf behind him. The two unknown voices were male and were talking loudly, both slightly drunk. As they chatted with slurred words, Qrow ran his hands over Winter’s body and kissed her cheek and then her neck, drawing his tongue over her pulse and sucking it soothingly.

“Qrow,” she glanced behind her, knowing there wasn’t much between them and the two men that entered. She clasped her hand over her mouth, muffling her moan when she felt his hand palmed her thigh, curling around to go up her dress and push her panties aside. He removed her hand and kissed her, giving her bottom lip a teasing bite before coaxing her tongue to clash with his.

It was deplorable how weak she was against him. If he truly tried, it wouldn't take much to convince her to spread her thighs apart for him. Never would she admit it to him out loud but she was desperate for his touch. Constantly craving his hands on her. She liked their size and the rough texture running through her hair or sweeping down her body; his grip on her was always firm and steady but never held the intention to harm her.

She tugged his shirt out of the front of his pants, pinching his side when he grinned against her and unbuckled his belt. Winter smoothed her hand over his stomach, feeling the coarse black hair on hard muscles that trailed down to the edge of his pants. There was a mark there, one she left last night on his hip. Qrow bolstered it to her when he found it this morning. Despite the redness of her cheek that followed soon after, she knew she wanted to leave another.

Qrow tried to turn them around, press her against the wall but she twisted out of his grasp and went to her knees, unzipping his pants smoothly. He called out to her in a low whisper, looking up when the two men stumbled around close to them on the other side of the screen. He frowned, ready to throw the red book but jumped when she kissed his right hip, her tongue tracing the fine cut line of his muscle there.

“Hey, wait,” he panted.

She glanced up at him, ignoring his warning and pressed kisses lower and lower until it was at the edge of his boxers. The two male voices settled back at the desk, still speaking loudly. He refocused on her when she pulled his boxers down and his cock stalked up. She took a hold of his erection and he had to bite his lip, muffling his groan at her first lick over his head. His hand dug into her hair, feeling the warm pink muscle twirl over the red tip and then glide down to his base.

Gently she bit her nails into his thigh and nibbled the skin at the base of his cock, remembering what he liked from the last few times she had done this. She licked back to the leaking tip, over the gorging veins that were wrapped around his length, and enclosed her mouth over the mushroom-shaped dome.

Qrow was sweating, struggling between the sensations of her mouth on him, her tongue swirling around him, and the other two men in the room. He glared at them through the screen, wanting them to leave, and his semblance flared twice now. The first time was when she followed the curve of his tip to the weeping precum. It caused the chair one man was sitting in to snap. The second time came soon after when she sucked, he was sure she was trying to kill him, and the mirror cracked.

It alarmed both men but they stayed.

He was close to cursing and kicking them out when Winter began to bob her head and pump his salvia covered member. His hand buried deeper into her hair, following the movements of her head. His semblance flared again at the tiny vibration of her hum, she was trying to be quiet too and he found that too alluring, and this time the glass in one of the man’s hand broke.

“Good gods, Milford,” one man said.

“It ain’t that bad,” the one named Milford stated.

Qrow nearly growled in annoyance.

Leave, Milford.

Winter’s tongue pressed firmly on the underside of his heated rod and he involuntarily thrust forward. She moaned, softly again, and pinned his hips against the wall, trying to take him as far as she could while her hand continued to pump. Her nails dug deeper into his thigh.

“You’ll still need stitches,” the other man said, his voice further away. Qrow was so close to shouting in joy when he heard the men leave and the door click shut.

Instead, he released the groan that was sitting low inside his diaphragm and cursed how good it felt, how she felt, when she sucked harshly. Qrow finally looked down at her, moaning deeply as she took him, her pretty pink mouth stretched over his cock. His sack tightened, however, when he saw past his cock, between her widened thighs, she was tenderly touching herself.

Qrow told her to stop and she did, panting and giving him a starry-eyed look that almost made him cum. “On your back,” he growled and went to his knees as she laid down, her head almost at the edge of the screen. He licked her lips and tugged her closer to him by her thighs.

Pushing her dress up and pulling her panties off, he entered her swiftly. She was wet and hot, he had to sit still and shut his eyes to control his breathing and his rising orgasm. She squirmed underneath him and mewled for him to move, and he pumped into her heavily, his skin slapped soundly against hers. He bit and soothed the edge of her jaw, gripped one of her thighs that was wrapped around his hips.

Her gasp and moans were louder now but when the door opened for a second time, they stopped. Winter turned her head, holding her breath when she felt Qrow thrust into her once more. She shot him a look, one that threatened to stab him with her sabre, but he grinned and began a gentle tempo. Winter covered her mouth with a hand and wanted to smack Qrow on the head when he took it from her and held it next to her head.

“Found it,” a new voice entered and they both realized it was Aspen.

Qrow grinned in amusement while Winter glared at him. He winked and went a little harder. Luckily, Aspen was at the door by the time her whimper escaped her. The door closed again and she arched her back, tightened her legs over him. He used that moment to pound into her roughly, getting impatient and needing the coiling orgasm in him to burst. He felt his release enter her womb. She jolted and moaned when her own orgasm hit her; her thighs twitching and warmth flowing out of her. Qrow was pressing kisses to her neck and cheek, saying she was beautiful and she hit his back in embarrassment.

“We almost got caught,” she panted between his messy kiss.

“Almost,” he agreed.

~o~o~o~o~

“He told me the fairytale about four maidens,” she stated, watching as he paused from taking another bite of his soup as he sent Ozpin an update on what Winter found.

They got home almost half an hour ago after sneaking through the window to escape Aspen party. Qrow refused to go through the front door, saying everyone was going to know they had sex because she looked too well fucked. He said that when he was halfway out of the window and she pushed him the rest of the way out from the indignation. He glared up at her and she glared down at him; throwing the book Aspen gave her at him before following him.

“Yeah? Why’s that?” he asked.

“He said it was his favorite.”

“What else did he say?” He lowered the spoon with a scowl.

"He asked for my favorite fairytale.”

He rose an eyebrow, “Which is the Queen of Nix?”

“It is.”

“Never heard of it.”

“It is an old tale.”

“What’s it about?”

“A princess who murdered her husband and became the Queen of her country.”

Qrow burst out laughing, “that’s your favorite fairytale?”

“It is. I had my caretaker tell me the story many times when I was little.”

“You mean your nanny?”

Winter pushed her hair behind her ear, “If that is what you wish to call Klein.”

Qrow scooted his chair closer to her. “Tell me the story.”

“Well, there once was an old king, cruel and evil, who ruled the Kingdom of Nix, a country by the northern sea. He had a lovely wife and two children, a prince and a princess. The kingdom loved their Queen but their love could only go so far. One day, the Queen fell ill after a cold wind rushed into her room from the sea and she soon perished.”

“That’s sad.”

“Most fairytales are.”

“Keep going. I want to hear about the princess who murdered her husband.”

“The princess was still an infant when her mother died, and grew up in the shadow of her brother, watching and listening as those who wield power spoke around her. The prince, on the other hand, was the sun in the sky for the king. As the years went on, the prince was engaged to wed one of a neighboring kingdom’s daughters. The wedding invitations were passed out and that night, the king was murdered.

“The crown prince’s wedding had to be rushed to that following morning but on his way to the ceremony, surrounded by his guards, he was killed by a rouge arrow. All that was left of the monarch was the princess. While the prince was the sun for the king, the princess was the moon for the kingdom, loved and cherished. The next few days, the barons and dukes and senators fought over who will wed the princess. All wanting power over the kingdom, knowing that the quiet princess would not speak against it.

“As they fought, the princess did what she did best. She watched and listened. Then, the day arrived when a baron’s son from the hills of the kingdom was picked to wed the princess, and they did. During their wedding celebration, the new king had the habit of drinking from the new queen’s wine cup and eating from her plate, but only after she ate and drank from them first.”

“She poisoned him,” Qrow guessed.

“She did,” Winter confirmed, “with her lips tingling from the venom; the dining hall exploded in fights and accusations. All wondering who killed the king and who will be the next king. The Queen of Nix stood up from her place as they fought and went to her throne, signaling her royal guards to kill the four most powerful barons. She then said, ‘I am the Queen of Nix. If you despise me; you despise your kingdom. If you harm me; you hurt your kingdom. If you betray me; you betray your kingdom. If you love me, then you love the Kingdom of Nix.’ For years alone, she fought and controlled her country, making the kingdom good and prosperous. The end.”

“That’s it?”

“It is.”

Qrow looked at her for a moment, “I can see why you like it.”

“Do not worry, Husband. I do not plan to poison you.”

“That’s reassuring.”

They ate the rest of their dinner in peace. Spending a few more minutes on their investigation on Aspen and how to stop him. Ozpin and Ironwood already gave their approval to capture him; however, Qrow and Winter wanted to extract more information from Aspen without tipping off the Family.

Qrow was the one to yawn first, making Winter yawn as well, and he decided it was time for bed. He had to pull Winter away from the table, throwing her over his shoulder to drag her to bed. Her protest was mixed with light laughter. Soon, they were both asleep. It was around one in the morning when Qrow woke in a blitz of panic.

Breathing heavily, he attempted to move his limbs or turn over, but he couldn't. He looked around the room, seeing the familiar white shutters and tall dresser on the right. Brushing his hand was Winter’s fingers curling into his as she slept. In the corner of their room, he saw the shadow of a grimm stalking towards them quietly. He saw the gleam of its teeth and long nails, and he tried to move or speak.

He had to get Winter out of the room. His sword was right there, next to his bedside table where he always left it. His heart was racing as it got closer, his breathing short and sporadic. He had to wake her up. He had to protect her.

"Qrow?"

Winter stirred awake next to him, her hand gripping his. He tried to shout to her to run away, to get her weapon, but his voice was muffled by the stillness of his lips. Winter rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she searched for him, stilling when she noticed the terror on his face.

"Qrow. I am here. All is well. Listen to me," she tightened her grip in his hand and followed his glances to the corner of the room. "No one is there. You are fine. We are fine."

He gave her a panic looked, not believing her until her cool hand touched his jaw and she settled next to him. She reached over to turn on the lamp and light burst into the room, eliminating the grimm that was at the edge of the bed, its claw dancing over her throat.

"Breathe, Qrow. You have to breathe. Follow my hand."

Qrow inhaled, following Winter's hand that went down his neck, over his chest and settled onto his stomach and exhaled, following her hand back as she trailed it up to his jaw. They repeated this process four more times until he was able to move his fingers. Suddenly, he gasped and sat up, gulping for air as Winter rubbed his back. Her voice was soothing and her touch reassuring. He looked at her and gripped her arm like a lifeline, tugging her into a tight embrace.

“You are fine,” she said to him, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“Winter,” he tried to speak but his tongue was heavy in his mouth.

"Let me make you some tea," she was about to get up from the bed but he held her tighter.

"I don't want tea," he grunted into her shoulder.

"Water?"

“No…just stay like this."

Winter pressed another kiss against his temple and resettled against the bed. Lying down with Qrow wrapped around her, she ran her hand through his hair and hummed a light tune until he went back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Head canon. Qrow has sleep paralysis. 
> 
> Anywho, thank you for reading and for leaving kudos.
> 
> I am going to start two additional AUs about Qrowin - a oneshot AU collection and then a long-fic AU story. Once I get more than ten chapters written, I'll start posting. For now, if you have an AU request, let me know!
> 
> @ Haley_HI Me too!! I love Winter not being able to curse or say sexual terms like 'blowjob' a lot. haha I just think it's so funny. Thank you fo reading and leaving a comment!
> 
> @ Akira_0 Aspen will get his. No worries about that. Also, thank you for reading and leaving a comment! I truly appreciate it! c:
> 
> @ highwind91 hopefully, she shows up in the final! We'll know in a couple hours of this fic being published. crossing my fingers and thank you for reading!!
> 
> Sneak Peek of the next chapter that is filled with fluff - also no smut until the last chapter of this mission arc:
> 
> He went to touch his chin and looked at his hand again, seeing more black. “Do I have something on my face?”
> 
> “Poorly kept facial hair.”
> 
> He tugged a strand of her hair roughly with an annoyed smirk; “You never mind it when it’s buried between your thighs.”
> 
> “Simply due to enjoying many things that involve you not speaking.”


	22. Mission | Part VII of IX

“What are you doing?” 

“Reading.”

“Bullshit.”

“Language.”

“Win,” Qrow looked up at Winter with a groggy scowl.

“If you are done with your nap, you brusque old crow, then remove yourself.”

“I ain’t old and I’m not done.”

She appeared to be innocent by reading her book but he knew better. It was a little past noon when he decided he wanted a nap and wanted her lap to be his pillow. Falling asleep has always been easy with her fingers caressing his scalp. She gave a light protest against it, stating that there was a perfectly good bed in their bedroom. But after much flirting and teasing on his end, and a few kisses, he won. Lying on the couch with his head resting on her thighs, he regained the hour of sleep he lost from last night.

He couldn't remember a stage in his life when he didn't have sleep paralysis. He believed it was a side effect of growing up in a tribe where he was abused as a kid and learned how to kill at the age of ten. And it had only gotten worse as the years went on. The family he gained at Beacon began to fall apart piece by piece. His sister, Raven, abandoned Yang. Then, Summer died. There were patches of darkness following those events; Yang and Ruby almost getting killed by grimm when they were kids and Taiyang’s battle with deep depression. All the while working as a huntsman, seeing the destructions of towns and people die in its wake. Being thrown into the responsibility of fighting against Salem and protecting the maidens.

He was haunted in and out of his dreams.

He couldn’t win.

Until, one day, he discovered he could drink the visions away when he was awake. However, drinking made the nightmares worst. Most of the time he would suffer for long agonizing minutes until his body snapped awake. As a kid Raven generally hit him with her pillow and told him to stop crying. When he lived at the Xiao-Long’s, it was Taiyang who woke him up and it was usually with a hard jerk to his shoulder. Traveling alone, it was a hard knock from the other side of the motel room or a call from the lobby that normally woke him up.

Now, with Winter, it was the first time he could come out of his nightmare without screaming. She was concerned the first time it transpired but was quick to realize what was happening to him. She was able to deal with him with ease. Her presence already calmed him, a sense of peace, and since the start of the mission, sleeping next to her made his nightmares infrequent compared to before. Nightmares that were commonly every other night were now once or twice a week, especially since he hadn’t been drinking much lately. 

He wondered how he was going to go back without her by his side once this mission was over.

“So?” He asked her, “What were you doing?”

“Reading.” 

“No, you were doing something. Don’t play dumb.”

“I would not even know how.”

He pulled the book she was supposedly reading down. “I felt something on my face.”

“Perhaps it was some common sense.”

Qrow frowned, tugging at the end of her hair. Not believing her for one second. However, she was cool as always. Tugging her book from his hands, she went back to reading. He sat up and turned to her, knowing he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep due to his curiosity. Again, he pulled the book down.

“You are infuriating.”

“Marry me,” he shot back with a grin, chuckling as she huffed and took her book back for the second time. He leaned against the couch. One hand propping his chin.

“You are staring.”

“Investigating,” he corrected. 

“Oh? And what have you found beside my irritation towards you?” 

“Pretty blue eyes throwing daggers at me, a sharp tongue behind some pouty lips. Oh, and a blush creeping up right here,” he traced her ear and snickered when she smacked his hand away. He was going to tease her more, wanting to mention her skirt riding up her thigh, when he noticed a black smudge on his hand.

He went to touch his chin and looked at his hand again, seeing more black. “Do I have something on my face?”

“Poorly kept facial hair.”

He roughly tugged strand of her hair with an annoyed smirk; “You never mind it when it’s buried between your thighs.”

“Simply due to enjoying many things that involves you not speaking.”

They both glared at each other. Qrow with his eyebrow twitching in displeasure and Winter with her ire hidden behind cold eyes. It wasn’t until he glanced down to her breasts – she was showing a modest amount of cleavage that has been enticing him since this morning – that she flicked his forehead hard. As he complained she grabbed his chin and tilted his face left and then right, “There is nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

He stood and went to the bathroom to check. She was up to something. The bathroom lit up and he blinked at his reflection. The right side of his face was covered in black ink. She had filled in his beard, gave him a curly mustache, drew a bird on his cheek, and signed her name on his temple. 

“Winter!” He marched out of the bathroom, ready to give her a taste of her own mischief but she was gone from the couch. Then, he saw her rounding the corner outside of their house through a window and went after her. Going the opposite direction, he was light and quick on his feet and caught her off guard.

She avoided his first attempt to grab her, and the second, but by the third, his semblance flared and she stepped into a gopher hole, stumbling backward until he caught her and kissed her sloppily. He brushed his ink-covered face against the side of hers between kisses, digging his hand into her waist to steady her until he pulled away and took five steps back. 

Winter narrowed her eyes at him, panting and wiping the excess salvia he left on her. And he laughed, seeing the ink smudging her normally pristine face. He even got some on her nose. Soon, she was smiling as well, hiding her own amusement behind her hand in that modest manner of hers.

That won’t do.

Qrow threw her over his shoulder and trudged back inside the house, waving at the neighbors who were passing by.

“Unhand me this instant!” she demanded but the bubbling mirth was still there. “Qrow,” she only said his name once they were inside and he shut the door with his foot.

“Will do,” he moved his hand high on her thigh and she warned him of his wandering hand by hitting his back. Setting her down, Qrow pulled her in for another kiss. Knowing she will have more black ink smeared on her but at that moment, they both didn’t seem to mind.

More than an hour later, with both of their faces free from ink, Winter stilled her hands when Qrow jerked his head to the side to show her a page in the cookbook he was flipping through. “How about this one?” He asked.

Winter sighed. Like a fidgetting bird, he couldn’t keep still.  She glanced down. "Risotto with Mascarpone and Prosciutto?"

"Yeah. It sounds good, doesn’t it?”

“It does.” 

He allowed her to straighten his head forward again. “We can get some garlic bread, too."

"What do we need to buy?” 

“White wine, chives, and prosciutto. We have everything else," he titled his head in thought and smirked when he heard her frustrated sigh.

“Will you stop moving,” she straightened his head again.

“You’re taking too long.”

“You keep moving,” she shot back, bring the comb and scissors up to finish trimming his hair.

"Madame Kay mentioned there was a shipment of white wine yesterday. Let’s go grocery shopping once you’re done – if you’re ever going to be."

“I told you to go to a professional.” She snipped the last patch uneven of hair in the back before moving to stand in front of him. 

“They’re not as pretty to look at like you.”

“Silence and close your eyes.” She combed his hair down, estimating how much she needed to cut.

“Embarrassed?”

“Qrow.”

“They’re closed,” Qrow chuckled and did as she told. He felt the tip of her hair brushing his hands. Just as she was about to take the first snip he grabbed her hips simply because he wanted to touch her.

“Remove your hands or I will make you bald.”

Again, Qrow did as she said but not without a snicker or two escaping him. He heard the snips of the scissors, the ends of his hair falling on to his skin. He placed his hands on her once more, unable to resist, but she was focused on giving him a decent haircut that she let it be. Soon, she was done and took a step back, sweeping the hair from his face with a soft brush. 

“How bad is it?” He asked. “I still look handsome, right?”

Winter grabbed the hand mirror on the table beside them and held it up for Qrow. “It is horrible and you look awful.”

Qrow snorted, observing his reflection and appreciating that his hair was out of his eyes now. While he was annoyed with the length of his hair, he wasn’t bothered to do anything with it. It wasn’t until Winter made a comment that he dragged her into trimming it for him. He already saw her trim hers once and was sure she could do the same for him, which she did.

“It looks good and I’m as handsome as ever,” he winked up at her.

“To a half-dead grackle,” she dusted his face a few more times to get rid of some stubborn snipped hair.

“Hey,” he tapped his lips, wanting a kiss and she passed the brush over them instead. “Win,” he grabbed the brush from her hand with a frown and tapped his lips again. “Give me a kiss.”

“No. You are covered in hair.” 

“Wife.”

“Husband.”

“I’ll give you a nice massage later.” 

“That is more for your pleasure than mine.”

“Oh, but it’ll end in your pleasure.”

She pinched his cheek but gave him a quick kiss afterward. “Overindulgent will be the end of you.”

“Can’t think of a better way to go,” He said, pulling her in for another kiss.

She sighed at his absurdity and collected the scissors, comb, and the other items she brought out. Pausing when she felt his hand on top of hers. "Hm?" 

“Nothing.”

"Nothing?”

"Nothing.”

She lifted an eyebrow, about to speak again when there was a knock on the door. Qrow stood and kissed her cheek quickly before going to see who it was. Surprised when on the other side of the door was the Greene Family. May Greene and her husband, David, stood there with their seven-month-old baby in his arms. May Greene, from what Qrow could remember, was Madame Kay's grandchild.

"Eh, hi?"

"Hello, Mr. Starling. Mrs. Starling. We hope we didn't catch you two at a bad time?" May smiled.

"Um, no. What can we help you with?"

"Can you watch Lillian for us?"

"Watch what?"

“Lillian!” May presented the baby to him.

“You see,” David began to speak, “Granny got a hole in her roof and asked us to fix it. Before the baby, May and I could do it in an hour but since Lillian came into the picture...it got a little complicated.”

“And Granny is too old to watch a baby on her own but she suggested you guys would be great,” May said as David passed the baby to Qrow. “She said it’ll be good practice for when you two have one of your own.”

Winter peered over his arm and looked at the black hair baby. She never had the opportunity to be near babies. When Weiss was born she was already overrun with activities from the moment she awoke until dinnertime. She remembered thinking Weiss was red and too loud, and when Whitely was born, she thought he was cute but was rushed off to ballet or singing lessons before she could interact with him.

“Um, Hun?” Qrow looked back to Winter for help but she was already shaking hands with the baby.

“I do not mind,” she said, taking the baby from Qrow to squeeze its arms in curiosity.

“Wonderful!” May smiled, giving a large bag to Qrow, “we'll just be next door. It’ll be an hour or less. We really appreciate this.” May and David waved at Lillian and thanked Winter and Qrow once more before heading to Madame Kay’s house. Winter stepped outside to watch them and used Lillian’s tiny but chunky arm to wave at them back.

"Didn't know you liked babies," Qrow wiggled a hand in front of Lillian who grabbed onto it.

"I never held one before," she explained, "I am curious."

"You never held a baby before?"

"No."

"Have you been around one?"

"Not longer than five minutes."

"What about Schnee Two and Schnee Three?" He referred to her siblings and Winter huffed in amusement.

"My schedule has been set and ample since I was a child. When Weiss was born, I already had a schedule similar to the one I have right now."

"Were your parents trying to kill you with stress?"

"No, they were trying to make me the best."

Qrow frowned and ran his hand through his hair. Every day he learned a little more about Winter’s up bring and every day he despised the world that raised her almost as much as he despised his. "So, you never even held your siblings?"

"No," Winter probed the baby a little more and jolted when it shirked in laughter.

"She's a happy one all right. My nieces were like this when they were babies." Qrow chuckled and grabbed Lillian, holding her under his arm like a ball. "Come on, let's go outside."

Winter watched as he slung the baby bag on his shoulder and grabbed a blanket from the cupboard. He went outside with Lillian giggling and wiggling in his arm. She knew babies were resilient, but she wondered to what degree as Qrow jostled Lillian around slightly. However, Qrow had more experience with babies than her. He helped raise his nieces. So she did not fret when he held Lillian upside down for a few seconds, especially with her laughing in joy.

She slipped on her shoes and followed, helping with Lillian as he unfolded and placed the blanket on the ground. Qrow lay on the blanket with his arms behind his head and Winter sat next to him with Lillian on her lap. Both entertaining the baby as they waited for her parents to finish. Lillian had plenty of toys in her bag and only got fussy with Qrow when he took a straw away from her. Winter watched her carefully, tugging her feet lightly and pulling at her cheeks. She slipped socks and a sweater over Lillian, afraid she might get a cold. The air was slightly cool. Qrow made fun of her for worrying too much but he still handed her Lillian's hat when she demanded it.

Winter decided Lillian was cute and saw the appeal in having one. She plopped Lillian on Qrow when she noticed a figure curving the path towards their home. “We have another guest.”

“I hope it’s not a second baby.” Qrow sat up and caught Lillian easily as she tumbled off his chest. “Eh, but it might be a possibility with us.”

“A second baby?”

Qrow smirked, “I’m a twin, Wife.”

Winter frowned, wondering what that had to do with her until she got his implication. She grabbed the baby and shoved him off the blanket, “You are foul as ever.”

It was just last week, a day or so before Winter got her period, that Qrow burst into the house after cutting some wood for the fireplace realizing they have been having sex without a condom. Not as concerned as he was, she simply asked how he got that revelation from cutting wood. He didn’t answer and instead asked if she thought she was pregnant, if they should purchase a test, and told her she couldn’t fight anymore in case she was. As he went on, she truly thought he looked like a squawking bird. 

Concerned about his semblance and uncomfortable in being vulnerable with anyone, he never had anything outside a one-night stand and those were far and few in-between. He couldn’t even count his encounters on one hand. However, in every interaction, he made sure he was using a condom; not wanting mini-versions of him flapping around, and especially with nameless women he met in bars and who he immediately left once they were done.

With Winter, it was different. He already imaged a future with her since he snuck her out of her father’s party all those months ago. Thus, in his lovesickness and his desperation in being with her, the concern of protection burned for the exchange of her kisses and soft flesh under his palms.

Winter watched him pace back and forth in their home for a few minutes, allowing him to make mental plans on how to tell the Headmasters and his family, gather resources to go against her family because he was determined to ensure his child had both parents in its life, where to build a home for them, find a stable job, and so on. Of course, if Winter ended up pregnant, she would decide what to do with it but, if she was willing to consider and accept him, he would tell her that he was more than ready to raise a child with her. To make things work for them.

It wasn’t until Qrow decided that Vale could be the best place to raise their child that Winter told him she was on birth control the entire time. It was also at this time, with her cheeks red and a stern frown, that he found out that he was her first in basically everything. He didn’t acknowledge the tiny bit of disappointment he felt and instead teased that he ruined her for other men and she gave him her virginity. He said he was honored and Winter, embarrassed and annoyed, sent tiny nevermores after him.

"I'm going to see what he wants," Qrow stood up, taking a few steps to meet the man when a tiny bird landed on Winter's knee. She presented it to Lillian who cooed at it. Qrow smiled before turning back to the man whose footsteps were closer. “Can I help you?”

“Good day, Mr. Starling. I have a message for your wife,” the messenger said, taking an envelope out of his leather bag.

“As long as it isn’t a love letter,” Qrow accepted the card and almost threw it at the messenger’s face when he saw whom it was from.

The messenger tipped his hat and went over to Madame Kay to deliver her mail. Winter looked at Qrow expectedly and held her hand out. The tiny bird flew away. “Should I guess?”

“Only if you have another admirer I need to worry about and threaten besides Isaac fucking Aspen.”

"Qrow!" Winter clasped her hands over Lillian’s ears, “there is a baby here.”

“It’s fine,” he passed the letter to her, “Come on, let's see what it says. What if it’s actually a love letter?”

“Do not be ridiculous.” She handed him Lillian and went to open it.

“If it is I’m fighting him.”

Winter laughed softly, “for something so minuscule.”

“There’s nothing minuscule about it,” he argued.

Winter used the small blade she kept in her boot to make a clean cut at the flap crease, ignoring Qrow choked laughter when she whipped it out from what was thin air for him. Winter placed the blade back and slipped the paper out of the envelope, reading the content out loud. “My dearest, Zima,” Winter said and was swiftly interrupted by Qrow.

“‘Dearest?’ He’s definitely asking for it,” he growled. Lillian giggled and grabbed her feet as she looked between them.

Winter ignored him and went on, “I hope this finds you well. I apologize for not seeing you off last night. I would love to invite you and a guest for a dinner this Friday night. I will be giving some of our neighbors a tour of the forestry and remembered you mentioning you would like a tour, too.”

“A guest,” Qrow snorted, “it’s like he doesn’t want to say husband.”

“I hope you can join us. Dinner will be at seven and I made a special request of my chef to bake a fruit tart for dessert, as you mentioned it is your favorite last time we spoke. Yours truly, Isaac.”

Qrow made another grunt, which caused Lillian to laugh. “He’s nothing of yours, got that? You’re my wife.”

“Yes. Yes.”

“Of course, he’ll request your fake favorite dessert.”

“Oh? How do you know that tart is not my favorite dessert?”

“Because I am your husband and I know it’s cinnamon rolls.” He said, shaking Lillian’s belly lightly to make her laugh.

Winter stopped bothering to correct him. It has been more than a month and it started to slip by her tongue too as of recent, much to his delight. “I will answer and accept his invitation,” Winter said. “Am I to assume you will be joining me?”

“Yes. As if I’m going to let Mr. Eager alone with you.”

“You will have to when you go investigate his office,” she reasoned. “There could be more information regarding the attacks.” Qrow frowned, ready to argue when a shout came from the roof across the yard.

“We’re done!” May Greene waved her arms at them. 

Winter grabbed Lillian’s arm and waved it at May gently. Surprised at how fast the hour went. She turned to look at Qrow when she felt him tug her hair softly. It became a habit of his as of lately. “Yes?”

“We should have a few brats of our own.” He said, a twinge of vulnerability there that she recognized. The words were heavy in the truth of his feelings, embracing the possibility between them.

“Right now?” She perked an eyebrow. “You are aware that I am only twenty and still a student, in addition to being an heiress. It will be such a scandal.” 

“I meant later,” he snorted. “When you’re not twenty or a student, and you know I don’t care about your title or your family’s money.”

“Trying to woo me, Husband?”

“Always.”

While he had a torch lit for Winter since they met and would not change the dynamic between them or the night their feelings finally connected, he, however, wished they could have waited until she graduated. Instead, the truth spilled out between them under a moonless night, their touch inking the others in delicate love poems.

Nevertheless, the balance of being her lover and her mentor on this mission blurred, and he felt guilty about that. He should have been responsible and push her away that night. Explain to her that, for once, she was right regarding appropriateness. What they wanted could have waited. But he felt a fear in him that if he did that, the universe would have taken her away from him. Divert her path to a place he could not reach. The happiness he found being with her, that he had been striving to find since he discovered his semblance as a child, would have burned.

Although he ensured himself that he wasn’t overstepping his boundaries with her – abusing the momentary power he had as a mentor over her – the guilt still lingered. She, too, knew of the power balance between them but, as always, she wasn’t as concerned as he was. Her words comforted him at night when his thoughts plagued him, and when she pressed into him, kiss him after a long day, or hold his hand. The guilt lessened.

“Maybe in six to seven years, or when you’re ready,” he said.

She looked down at Lillian, trying to imagine her with Qrow’s red eyes or hers. “If you want a child so badly you do not need to wait for me to have one.”

“You’re my wife.”

“I am not,” she corrected him for the first time in a week.

“I don’t want one unless it’s with you and only if you want one, too.” 

She frowned, nervous flutters rolling inside her. “I do want one,” she admitted after a moment. She looked over to him, curiosity pulling at her strings. “What makes you assume we will be together in seven years?”

“We will,” he answered unfazed.

Winter flicked his forehead, “Such confidence.”

“Have to be with a wife like you,” he rubbed where she hit with a pout and leaned back on one arm.

“I am positive my father will place a bounty on your head if that happens.”

“Eh, I’ll deal with it when it happens.”

Winter huffed, a smile playing on her lips. “How charming.”

“Oh, you find me charming?”

“At times.”

“How about handsome.”

“Your confidence is grotesquely large.”

“My confidence only matches my other assets,” he winked and dodged the cookbook she aimed at his head. Lillian giggled livelily and clapped her hands.

“She likes you two,” May commented as she walked closer to them, making no indication that she overheard their conversation.

“More like she enjoys my wife trying to hit me.” Qrow clarified, helping Winter up who held Lillian before he went to collect Lillian’s things and put them back in the baby bag.

“She is quite lively,” Winter commented.

“You say that now, but at night, when it’s bedtime, it's not as cute. She’s might as well be a goblin,” May laughed and thanked Qrow who handed her the baby bag. “When will you two have one of your own.”

“In a few years,” Qrow answered smoothly. “We want to be selfish and enjoy married life a little longer before starting a family.”

May nodded, “Well, I know you two are only here for another two weeks since the wall is almost done, but when you have one, please let us know. We all want to wish your child happiness and health.” May smiled and said goodbye, using Lillian’s hand to wave at them as she and David walked away. 

"She was cute," Winter commented after the Greene family disappeared around the curve.

"She was," Qrow said.

“Ava."

“What?” Qrow finished folding the blanket and grabbed the abandoned cookbook.

She took the book and turned to walk back inside, “if I ever have a daughter, I want to call her Ava.” She put the book on the counter and grabbed their fabric grocery bag; they still needed to go buy ingredients for dinner.

Qrow stepped towards her, seeing the tips of her ears were red and bent to kiss one. “I like Ava,” he said. “What if it's twins?”

“You can give birth to them, then.” She said with a frown but it softened at his snort. “Evelyn,” she stated.

“Ava and Evelyn,” he repeated the names and gave a solid nod, following Winter out the door to go to the market. They were good names. “How about a boy’s name?”

“Altair.”

“Really?”

“Oh? You have a better suggestion?” 

"Qrow Junior,” He smirked when she laughed. “No?” 

“No. Have some pity for our child.”

Qrow’s gaze softened, “Yeah?”

“Yes.” 

“How about Qrow the Second?”

“Qrow Branwen the Second?” she corrected.

“Has a nice ring, doesn’t it?”

“No. It sounds pompous, but I can see why you like it.”

"Fine. Grackle?"

"The only grackle here is you."

“Alright then. Altair can be the temp name,” he said, “And if he's a twin?”

“How many children do you believe I am going to give birth to?” She turned sharply at him.

“Seven seems like a good, lucky number.” Qrow shrugged, “I always wanted a little army.”

“Again. Birth them yourself.”

“Starling,” Qrow said. “I like Starling for a second boy.”

“That’s our last name, Dear.”

“I know. That’s why I want one boy to be named Starling,” he captured her hand and tugged her to him, kissing her cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the domestic fluff. Also, I think this is my weakest chapter. So, sorry about that but thank you for reading! Did anyone notice all the names were based on birds? :3c
> 
> Additionally, I hope I'm conveying to you guys a truthful and healthy relationship between two individuals with a large age difference and who are in a situation where the power balance isn't on equal footing. I'm a hardcore feminist but I do believe if handled well, people who end up in situations like these (relationships where both parties are of age with large age differences or unblance power structures) can work out and be healthy - in real life and in fiction.
> 
> Anyways, I'm off my soapbox. Let me cry a bit about Winter not showing up this season. T^T Just...I needed one tiny glimpse. Please. She's my fav. _(:3」∠)_ 
> 
> @ Akira_0 Gosh, it's also a headcanon of mine they just screw around whenever they get a chance - especially now since they're at the start of their "relationship". That, and I also think they're that physical kind of couple or the "do they really like each other" kind of couple since all they do is bicker in public but behind doors? Oh la la. As for Qrow. Yes! I want to give more depth to his issues with alcoholism. I feel like the show itself only touched upon it seriously by Winter when they were both introduced and then this last season - which I felt wasn't even 'touched upon' that well. 
> 
> @ Megan+toncray She is. Sorry it took so long to mention it. ;A; 
> 
> @ highwind91 You're right! So sorry!! I kept looking at it knowing something was off but I couldn't see it. So glad you did and thank you for pointing it out! Thank you for reading and I'm happy you enjoyed Qrow suffering. 
> 
> @ Haley_HI This is just the nice "all is well" part of the fic. It's going to be angsty later. ψ(｀∇´)ψ 
> 
> Sneak peek: 
> 
> "Too damn many. The dumbass basically flirts with her in front of me."
> 
> Ozpin hummed, "I see. I will work with Ironwood and Lionheart to make the arrangements to stop the attacks before they start. After tonight, I suggest to arrest Aspen and end your mission."
> 
> "Got it." 
> 
> "If Aspen knows of the Maidens," Ozpin sighed heavily, almost hesitate to continue, “You must end him.”
> 
> “Got it,” Qrow said after a moment and hanged up.


	23. Mission | Part VIII of IX

“The forestry profession encompasses science and the practice of establishing, managing, and conserving forests, trees and other resources in a sustainable manner,” Aspen smiled to the small group he was leading out of the Row Forest and into his main factory. “The timber we collect is sold off to neighboring towns and cities.”

Winter lingered at the end of the crowd with Qrow, feeling his hand on the small of her back. They were ending their dinner at Aspen’s with a tour of the factory and light refreshments. Milo, one of the farmers with his small family trailed behind. She recognized some of the off-duty sheriffs there, too. Some shop keepers. The others were members of the middle class of Row, interested in seeing Aspen’s factory for the first time. Mrs. Apollo was there with her husband, acting as host for the evening.

“Sweet cheeks,” Qrow leaned down, grinning at her glare. “What? Don’t like the new nickname?”

“Call me that again and I will divorce you.”

“Noted. I’m going to slip out to report what we found to Oz.”

“Understood.”

“If he gets near you, punch him.”

“Dramatic,” she sighed, stunned when he kissed her before making a quiet exit.

Frowning, she wondered when she started to get used to his affection. While she was nowhere near kissing in public, she had gotten accustomed to holding onto his arm, standing close to him, accepting kisses on her cheeks and temples during appropriate moments. Receiving a kiss during the middle of a Grimm attack was not one of them, and she had to tell him that more than once.

"Zima!" Aspen appeared behind her, his arms open in a grand swipe. "I was hoping to talk to you all night. Where's...what was it?"

"My husband's name?" Winter asked, raising an eyebrow at his refusal of acknowledging Qrow's relationship with her. Qrow was going to puff up when she told him he was right. 

"Yes."

"Aplonis."

"Yes. Him."

"I believe Mr. René took him just seconds ago to look over some planning of the wall."

"I see, and he left you here all alone."

"Afraid so."

"Then, you won't mind if I take you away from here for a moment." 

“Again? This is the second time,” Winter smiled, "However, I am quite curious. So, if only for a moment."

"Of course," Aspen presented his hand to which she grabbed politely. 

Again, she felt stares on her as Aspen led her towards a door, away from the parlor. She held her champagne loosely in her hand; it was still full. She was never good at drinking. She could easily get drunk off a cup of champagne. "What is it you would like to show me?"

"My latest venture," Aspen said. They continued down a hall, and she caught the gaze of Misty who had a bruised eye and a panicked expression. "And I would like the opinion of someone with your qualifications to take a look at it. You see, you appear to be someone who likes the luxury of life. High-class. Refined. Honestly, you and your...partner seem to be an odd couple."

"You will not be the first to make note of that," she said, playing along with her smile still in place. 

"But do you agree?" They stopped and he looked expectedly at her. 

"The thought," Winter said carefully, "has crossed my mind a few times."

It seemed to not be the answer he wanted but close enough that he nodded and gave her a smile. "Good. You should not tether yourself down to someone like him." 

"Are you trying to convince me to leave my husband?" She asked, meant to be a lighthearted quip that she expected him to decline.

"I am," he said. "You see, he is not strong enough to protect an exquisite woman like you. Give you what you need like I can."

"What can you give me?"

"Everything," he said and the word echoed in her. They resumed walking. "I can see it in you. A light. The world is full of evil. Grimm. Faunus. Bandits. Killers. A baby is born into this world in a state of fear. Total paranoia and I want to change that." Aspen opened a door that led them over a metal bridge meant for two. "After you," he said.

Winter stepped forward and had to dig deep inside to amplify the discipline chocked into her since she was a child to stop herself from throwing Aspen over the bridge. Overlooking the first floor, she saw machinery grinding and cracking with faunus managing them. Chains and collars wrapped around their necks, tying them to their assigned station. They were exhausted, sweating and trembling, covered in oil, grease, and soot. Some had bandages, bleeding, as they continued to work and assembled. Her hand twitched for her sword that was not on her hip as she caught the tiny figures of children climbing up ladders to pour coal down shoots. 

"These animals," Aspen said, brushing her hair back, "will be put in their place and will elevate us to the standards we deserve. Don't you agree?"

"Yes."

"Good. Good. Come now. There's more," he, again, presented his hand to her and took her over the bridge to the other side, opening the door for her as he led her down another hallway. "I am part of a group in Vale called the Family. Have you heard of us?"

"In passing," Winter answered honestly.

"Do you know what we are doing?"

She recounted the Vale businessman mentioning a description of it last year during a party and repeated it to the best of her memory, "Cleaning the land, if I recall correctly."

"Oh, yes, in simple terms, that is what we are doing. The Family will soon make it moves against the faunus, a goal of ours is to eliminate the White Fang as the Kingdoms are doing a poor job at it. Almost two decades and they still are infesting our land. Additionally, we aim to capture the island of Menagerie and put an end to the Belladonnas and the other influential families. All filth."

They ended up at a bold green door that he held open for her. Again, she entered first. She stepped into an office she could only assume was his, noticing a glass globe on a waist-high pedestal next to her and other valuable objects littering around the room. But, despite the gilded trinkets, it was different from the office at his manor. There were no reports or information regarding the forestry. Instead, there were maps and reports on moving militias and upcoming attacks. 

"We will restore the land to what it once was," he said and brought out a tray of chocolate truffles for them. Setting it on the coffee table and he told her to take a seat. "Chocolate?" He asked as he sat across her. 

"Yes, thank you," Winter continued to smile, appearing to be unfazed from all he revealed to her. He ate three truffles before she took a bite of one. "Will the land be restored with the enslavement of the faunus?" she asked. 

"No, with their blood soaking the lands. What better why to restore the planet's beauty?" He laughed and sighed happily. "Do you remember the story I told you before? The one about the maidens and their magic?"

"Yes."

"What if," he leaned closer, "what if I told you that it's true."

Winter leaned in as well, "I would think you are attempting to make a fool out of me."

Aspen laughed, "I would never."

"That is reassuring."

"Oh, you are a delight, Zima." He sighed, a hazy softness in his eyes. "What is your maiden name?"

"Starling is my maiden name," Winter said. 

"Oh, he took yours?"

"He did."

"Are you fond of it," he asked, "your maiden name?"

"For sentimental reasons only."

"Zima Aspen,” he looked at her fondly, as if he knew her beyond the handful of conversations they had over the past month. “It has a better ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does." She answered and took a bite of the truffle that began to melt between her fingers. 

"I know some lawyers in the Family. If you wish, we can correct that mess right away."

Winter cleaned her fingers with a napkin. "It is an option I would like to keep open.”

“The best option if I say so myself.”

“Indeed.” She sighed, “I do hate to say this but it seems we have been gone for more than a moment. " Winter pointedly glanced at the clock, suddenly feeling her pulse slow down, "I do not want Aplonis to worry. He is prone to cause a scene when he cannot find me."

"The boor," Aspen spat before he moved to sit next to her, his hand cradling her face, "Zima."

She imagined snapping his fingers off. "Yes?"

"Before releasing you of my company. I must ask again. Do you believe in fairy tales?"

She was feeling faint.

“No."

"Then, do I have a gospel to give you,” he said. “The maidens...they are real. With their power, we can eliminate the faunus and restore the earth as it once was. Pure. Perfect," he caressed her jaw. "We found one and plan to capture her. Once we do, we will hunt the rest. There will be an attack tonight, at midnight, here in the Village of Row. We are going to slaughter the faunus and capture their children on State Street. Me. Milo. Mr. Apollo. Lexi and Dorado from the sheriff station. Will you join us?” He stroked her cheek, “Me?"

Winter smiled as gently as she could. Her eyes were getting heavy. "I cannot. At least not tonight. My husband will be suspicious and I must return to him.”

"No," he said. He had the same look on his face like many other men in her social class. Arrogance. Conceited. Ugly.  "You are too beautiful to be set free with that animal."

The smile Winter had faltered. She stood up and politely excused herself. Aspen watched as she walked towards the door. Winter breathed as evenly as she could, attempted to stay calm and wondered where she made a mistake. She took the same champagne on the passing tray like everyone else, watching them all for at least ten minutes before taking a sip. She ate from the same plate and, again, waited for ten minutes before taking a bite. She ate the chocolate he offered her only after she watched him eat three. 

Where was it?

Where was her error?

Where?

Winter glanced at her glass that grew heavy and saw an accumulated layer of white substance at the bottom. The glass slipped from her hand. It was two separate substances. He was having scotch and chocolate, unaffected from whatever substance he placed in the chocolate, but she was having champagne and chocolate, and it reacted when it was combined in her system.

There was her mistake.

Her fingers slid over the door handle when she felt his hand on her shoulders. "You are marvelous," he said, forcibly turning her towards him. “Zima.”

He suddenly dropped to the ground after Winter took the glass globe next to her and hit him over the head with it. Glass shards burst from it and one grazed her cheek, blood seeped from it in a smooth single line. 

She blinked the weariness from her eyes but whatever drug he laced her with linger. At least it wasn't deadly. Still. What a fool he was to think a little sedative was going to incapacity her. Glancing down, Winter kicked Aspen onto his back and saw his chest rise. Pulling a chair to the middle of the room, she used a summoned beowolf to drag Aspen into the chair. Looking around, she found some thin rope and used it to tie his hands behind in back and his ankles to the chair legs.

She was drafting a message on her scroll to Qrow when she heard a knock on the door. 

~o~o~o~o~

Qrow stood on the cliff side overseeing the manor. His scroll ringing until Ozpin picked up, "It's Qrow."

"What do you have?" Ozpin asked. 

"The dates and location we sent you the other day are confirmed. Groups of paid militias are going to stage attacks in those city coordinates. They're going to force faunus to participate. All enslaved and bought by Aspen, and once the attack is over, they're going to place the blame on them."

"Where is he buying the faunus from?"

"A place in Mistral called Cottage Grains. Vale Politician Rena Bari is the fucker pulling the strings, but he has a gang of anti-faunus politicians supporting his ass."

"Any ties to the Maidens?"

Qrow paused, "Maybe. While he was trying to get on Winter's good side he told her his favorite fairy tale was the Hermit and the Four Maidens. However, nothing else came up from that."

"Are you sure?"

"I found nothing in his office about it and the enslaved faunus are not budging on saying anything."

"What about Aspen himself?"

"He prefers to talk to Winter than to me," Qrow snorted, watching a pair of guests tumble down in the garden in laughter. "She hadn't made another comment about it."

"How many encounters has Miss Schnee had with Aspen?”

"Too damn many. The dumbass basically flirts with her in front of me."

Ozpin hummed, "I see. I will work with Ironwood and Lionheart to make the arrangement to stop the attacks before they start. I suggest to arrest Aspen and end your mission tonight."

"Got it."

“If Aspen knows of the Maidens,” Ozpin sighed heavily, “You must  _end_  him.”

“Got it,” Qrow said after a moment and hanged up.

He stepped off the cliff and fell for a few feet before transforming into a crow. He swooped down to the gardens, morphing back into a man behind a large tree and marched his way back inside the parlor. No one seemed to notice he was gone. He scanned the room for Winter and frowned when he couldn't find her immediately.

He walked through the room twice looking for her, stopping to greet some of the guests there asking for him and Winter, thanking them for protecting the town, wondering what day they were leaving and if they were going to visit soon.  But none of them had seen Winter for the past thirty minutes until Misty found him, mentioning that she found his wrist cuffs.

"The fuck did he do to you? Qrow asked after she took him off to the side, noting her black eye.

"It doesn't matter. Please, listen to me," she told him in a hushed tone, "Mr. Aspen took Miss Zima."

"Of course he'll make his fucking move when I'm gone," Qrow scowled. "Do you know where?"

"I saw them going towards the factory floor," Misty said. "But I believe he took her to his office there."

Qrow sighed, debating over waiting or searching for her, "how long as she been gone?"

"More than twenty minutes," Misty said. 

He glanced at his watch, knowing that he should wait at least another ten more minutes, in case she found something else out, but there was a gnawing in his stomach that told him to get her now. "Can you take me there?"

She shook her head, "I...I've never been in that section of the factory, but Mr. Siren has. I'll go grab him."

Misty turned away and made a beeline to the back. Qrow ran a hand through his hair and took his scroll out, sending her a message asking where she was. Nothing too abnormal between a man and his wife. However, the minutes dragged and he began to tap his foot on the floor and when he wasn't, he paced around the room. She had received the message but hadn't read it. He knew that much. 

"Mr. Starling," Misty walked towards him with the butler that was at the manor the first time Qrow met Aspen. "Mr. Siren can take you there."

"Great. Let's go, Skippy," Qrow gestured for Mr. Siren to lead when there was a loud thud heard from outside. Qrow made his way back to the main room, all the guests looked at him. He was only huntsman in the room and another thud was heard and then the cry of a grimm. Cursing, he turned to Mr. Siren, "Get my wife and tell her there're grimm! Misty, my weapon! Everyone! Stay inside and find cover!"

Qrow ran outside to see a group of grimm flying towards the forestry. He counted them all, analyzed their size, speed, and type. Making mental notes of where and which one to attack first. Once Misty came back with his weapon, he took action.  

~o~o~o~o~

Mr. Siren was leading Aspen’s associates towards the main factory office, nervous as to what was going to happen. He did not dare to look down at the factory floor when he passed over the bridge, knowing that he should be down there working those machines, too. Milo, Mr. Apollo, Lexi, and Dorado were making vile comments as they walked over the factory floor. Each phrase stabbing Mr. Siren’s heart and spirit as they ignored his existence of being one of the same as those faunus that worked on the factory floor.

Instead, he focused keeping his gaze straight and steady, on the cries of grimm outside. He focused on delivering the four men to Aspen’s office, on the words Winter promised him after he went to give her the message Qrow sent and she asked him to bring these men.

It will all be over soon.

That was what she promised.

“Sir, your guests are here,” Mr. Siren said after knocking on the office door. He waited for a moment before pushing it open and stepping aside for the four men to enter. He saw in the center of the room a red cloth draped completely over Aspen’s prone sitting form. “Please, call on me if you need something.”

“Will do,” Lexi said, shutting the door on Mr. Siren’s face.

“Where’s Aspen?” Mr. Apollo asked.

“Who knows but he needs to hurry,” Dorado said loudly, looking around the room for him. “There's grimm outside that needs to be dealt with.”

“What on Remnant is this?” Milo said, regarding the red fabric. “It’s moving?”

“Perhaps it’s Mrs. Zima Starling?” Dorado drawled, “Aspen dragged her away from her husband moments before the grimm attacked.”

“The dame that has Aspen all big-eyed?” Mr. Apollo scoffed.

“You think she’s underneath there as a present?” Lexi asked.

“No. You know he hates sharing his conquests,” Mr. Apollo said. “If anything, he should just deal with her the same as he dealt with the others.”

“Use her and slit her throat?” Lexi laughed.

“I don’t know about that. Mrs. Starling with her pretty eyes and velvet voice cast a spell on him,” Dorado chuckled. “She even has Milo over there under her finger. Isn’t that right, Milo?”

Milo looked aside. “She’s lovely. That’s all.”

Mr. Apollo scoffed, “If anything. I’m sure he’s plotting to murder her husband just to have her as his wife.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time he’d done something that like,” Lexi said. “Remember those faunus girls?”

Milo shuffled his feet. He never approved of the group’s actions, but his fear of having their eyes turn on him stopped him from uttering a single word. He glanced around the room again, “If he isn’t here. I’m leaving.”

“Wait,” Lexi strolled up to the figure. “Let’s just see who’s underneath-” Lexi pulled the red fabric off and they were all surprised when they saw Aspen's unconscious form. “Aspen!” Lexi slapped his face, attempting to awake him. “Hey!”

Dorado took his knife out of his belt, moving over to untie him when a white grimm attacked. “G-Get it off! Damnit! Help me!”

Mr. Apollo turned around to escape and gasped. “Mrs. Starling!”

Blocking his entrance, Winter met the gaze of every man in the room except for Dorado that was thrown across the room and hit the bookcase with a solid crack. He landed on the floor, unmoving. “Milo Crane. Moe Apollo. Lexi Tune. John Dorado,” she paused to look at Dorado’s fallen figure. “You are all under arrest.”

“On what charges!” Lexi demanded, stalking up to her.

“Conspiracy to murder innocent faunus, the kidnaping and enslavement of faunas, murder, manslaughter - just to name a few.”

Winter flicked her wrist and glyphs formed on the ground, white grimm climbing out of them. Without a word, she sent the three grimm after the remaining men. Watching as they were easily taken out. There was a knock on the door and Misty came in timidly.

“I…I brought the rope, Miss Zima.”

Winter accepted the rope, “Thank you. Once I deal with them. I will go free the faunus.”

“Your husband-”

“Is able to deal these a few grimms himself for another few moments. He is strong and will be fine. However, thank you, sincerely, for the concern.”

Misty nodded, about to walk away when she felt Winter’s fingers on her face. “Miss Zima?”

“I’m sorry,” Winter said. “For not helping you sooner.”

“You’re helping us now,” Misty smiled shakily; tears began to run down her face for the third time.

Winter gave a single nod, “Go. Get your things. This is over.”

“Yes.” Misty mopped her tears away and closed the door.

Turning around, the clicking of the door signaled Winter to continue. She tied all the men up. Checking if each one was truly unconscious. “You’re all disgusting,” Winter said, hearing Aspen groan awake. “But you’re the vilest of them all. Murder. Terrorist. Rapist.”  She stood up after tying the last man and walked over to Aspen.

Aspen glared at her. “Whore!” he snarled, able to wiggle free form his loose resistant and stood up. However, he was not a trained fighter like her and stood there in a panic, eyes darting for a weapon to defend himself or a path to the door to call for help.

“The four maidens,” Winter looked over to the men, all tied up with their hands behind their back and leaning against the same wall. “Your theory of it being true. Who told you that lie?”

“Is this all about the maidens!?” He started to inch to the right.

Winter watched him, “Answer me.”

“R-Rena Bari. He…told me in confidence.”

“Has he told others?”

“I…I don’t know.”

“Have you?”

“Just you,” he spat out, his words filled with rage and regret. “I thought I could trust you!”

“You thought wrong.”

“What now?”

“They will be arrested and you….”

“What of me?”

“You will not be leaving this room alive.”

“W-what? Wait!”

“I do not believe in fairytales.” Winter’s gaze was piercing and cold, chilling Aspen’s soul. Aspen reached under a single legged side table and pulled a hidden gun to shoot her just as she raised her arm up, too. Her fist closed over thin air a foot away from him. Then, he gasped, stunned as her eyes gleamed. He began to say something, the first syllable leaving him when she spoke again. “But, I do believe in magic.”

Winter formed a long white sword in her closed fist, seeing the mist solidify into a blade that touched the skin of Aspen’s forehead and reappeared behind the back of his head. The gun went off and the bullet grazed her arm. His gurgled of pains only lasted a few seconds. Pulling the sword back, blood appeared on the blade and poured out from him. Winter forced herself to watch as the light faded from his eyes and he collapsed to the ground.

Exhaling deeply, she left the room and descended to the factory floor. Explaining to each faunus in a strong and clear voice there that she and her husband were sent to arrest Aspen and free them. Misty was there by her side and so was Mr. Siren. They untied and unchained the faunus and directed them to safety. Children, the weak, and elderly were carried by Winter’s summoned grimm out of the factory floor.

Winter received her weapon from Misty. After the faunus were in the foyer of the factory with Aspen’s shocked guests, away from the machinery and the walls that were foul reminder of their captivity, she went outside to help Qrow. He was about to bark a complaint to her for being late, but saw her ashen expression and the blood smeared on her cheek.

“Win?” He ran up to her, slicing a grimm on the way, and cupped her cheek. Wiping the blood away. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Now is not the time,” she said, taking her sabre out and pulled away from him. Putting all the thoughts and feelings she had in her attacks. Finishing off the last dozen of grimm with Qrow.

Dawn was rising. The night sky was becoming inked with daylight when Atlas airships landed in Row to collect Aspen’s corpse, his associates, and to provide relief to the freed faunus. The commanding officer met with Winter and Qrow and thanked them for completing their mission. The airship that would take them to Beacon was ready, and they both traveled back to their makeshift home to collect their things.

They were packing their personal clothing and items, erasing their existence from the walls they called home for almost two months.  The moment was bittersweet for both of them. Qrow looked over to Winter, watching as she took her neatly folded clothes from their shared dresser and packed them. Her hairbrush, perfume, and other tiny accessories were plucked from their places in the bathroom and bedside table as well.

“Winter.”

“Yes?”

He stopped her packing and pulled her close to him. “I…I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” He swept his thumb over her cheek and kissed her.

She embraced him tightly, closing her eyes and took a deep breathe, understanding what he was trying to convey and was thankful for his thoughtfulness. “No need to be. I should have been more aware. You would think after being trained to avoid being poisoned I would have figured out his scheme quicker.”

“W-what?” He jolted. “You were trained on how to avoid being poisoned?”

“Yes,” she stated offhandedly as if it was common practice. “Ever since I was a child I was taught what smells to avoid and was given some small dosage of poison and other drugs to become resistant towards them. Everyone in my family had to. Many people want us dead.”

Qrow’s face turned into a pained rage and he pulled her in for another hug, tight and desperate. Once more, he hated that she was raised in such a manner. “Too fucking bad for them, then. I’m not going to let that happen.”

Winter huffed softly, “I suppose that was a little charming.”

“Told you I was.” He tried to memorize the way she felt against him, her smell and height, in fear that he may not have a chance to do this so freely in the future. “Winter. Are you really okay?”

The discovery of Aspen’s corpse shocked him and when Winter told the commanding officer that she was the one that killed Aspen after he drugged her, it stunned him. She lured the other accomplishes into the room and captured them, ended Aspen rain of terror in Row, and freed the faunus. Yet, he worried for her. Killing someone, even if for self-defense, was never an easy reality to swallow.

“No,” she admitted after a moment, “but I will be.”

“Want to talk about it?”

She shook her head, “No. I think I am well for now. Some things just happen. Sometimes for the better…or worst. But, thank you.”

“Well, if you need to or want anything, let me know.”

Winter shut her eyes, wanting to live in his arms for as long as she could and forget about tonight, about the terror and horror she witnessed and others had to endure, and focused, for a second, on the memories and moments that occurred between them during this mission. The sputtering of feelings she never thought she was going to experience; on a future where true companionship through mutual love and happiness was an option. This mission brought months of flirting to a new chapter where they unraveled what they once were to what they were now. Whatever it was. And she simply wanted to think about it as long and selfishly as she could. 

“Kiss me,” she demanded and Qrow, smirking faintly as it was the first time she asked for one, complied easily.

He would kiss her as many times as she wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> I'm still working on improving my "climax" in my stories, and I do honestly believe this climax wasn't really up to par to what I was hoping, but it felt it was the best course of action for the characters. Not a "bang" of a climax but one that was smothering.
> 
> Also, mini headcanon until it is revealed in the show, and just a tiny bit of a nod, I hope Winter is the winter maiden. 
> 
> @! Thank you for giving this work a chance after reading the other Qrowin fic I wrote. And for loving my Schnee siblings scenes. Like always, I want to give them, the Schnee Family, more dimension and a swab of reality. 
> 
> @Akira_0 I hope you liked the "twist" I put on Winter. An explanation as to why she did it will be given in the next chapter. 
> 
> @ Haley_HI I really picture both craving a family due to their unique and sad upbrings, so while it is not necessarily kids and a house, I do think they are both lonely and want a family. Long story short, I hope this is what I am conveying and thank you for enjoying the domestic scene. 
> 
> @ Megan+toncray Glad you like how the conversation came up! haha and I agree it's just a weird skill they have. 
> 
> Sneak peek of the next chapter and final chapter of the Mission Arc:
> 
> “When Winter enters the Military, these are things she-”
> 
> “Don’t you fucking dare decide her future! I won’t allow you to use her like one of your fucking, mindless military mutts!”
> 
> “Enough,” Ozpin slammed his cane onto the ground. Clearly upset from what he heard, but he had to remain as the peacemaker between the two. “I am with Qrow on this.”
> 
> “As a headmaster or as the head of this Inner Circle?” Ironwood demanded, nursing his jaw.


	24. Mission | Part IX of IX

“Look. You stopped a crime lord from causing more pain and hate in the world and saved hundreds of innocent lives.” Qrow slid into the seat next to Winter. The intercom announced they would be landing in Beacon in a few minutes. “You did good. Also, you automatically pass your mission without my input. Although, I’ll be more than happy to review your…physical performance.”

Winter shoved him away, her face still composed except for the glare she threw at him. “Grackle.” 

“Marry me,” he said, almost softly. “So? What’s up with the frown?”

“I am always frowning.”

“Nope. You usually always have a neutral, unimpressed look on your face.”

“Then, what makes you assume I am upset?”

“I spent the last seven weeks observing you –”

“Disturbing.”

“- and I can read you like a book.”

“I am stunned you can even read.”

“Like right now,” he went on as if she said nothing and snuck a kiss to her cheek when the guard passed by them, “you’re embarrassed.”

“How concerning and unnecessary,” she said pushing his face away with a well-placed finger, ears red.

“Come on, until we land and meet with Jimmy and good ol’ Ozpin, I’m still your husband.”

“You sound mournful about that.”

“I am,” he said. The sincerity caught her off guard. She looked up at him, words playing at the edge of her lips but never ventured to escape. He gave her another kiss on her temple. “Even if we were gong by different names. Everything that happened between us, I meant it.”

She looked forward, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “So did I,” she confessed.

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“So, how about it? One last moment as Mr. and Mrs. Starling?”

 “Only to please you,” she said. The rum of the plane engine relaxed her enough to gently lay her head on his shoulder.

“Don’t fall asleep on me, Wife.”

“I am thinking, Husband.” She responded and after a long moment, she spoke again. “I am frustrated at my position. I am a fraud to those who thanked me back in Row. Stopping Aspen’s abuse on faunas was a brilliant outcome from this mission, I do agree, but what can I do to stop that same abuse in the Schnee Dust Company.”

“The rumors are true, then?” 

“You know they are. No need to tiptoe around the truth. Especially this ugly one,” Winter glanced down to his hand that interlaced with hers, “I am unsure how to put an end to it, or if I can.”

“You will,” Qrow reassured her quickly, “You’re too damn stubborn not to.”

Winter smiled sadly, “Yes. I suppose you are right. I just hope I do not take long or….” Her words died in a mist.

He tightened his grip on her hand and ran his thumb over the soft skin, “Whatever you decide, I’ll be there with you.”

“Truly?”

“Yeah. That’s what a husband is for.”

~o~o~o~o~ 

“I see,” Ozpin leaned forward, resting his hands on his desk. “Is there anything else you would like to report regarding the mission, Miss Schnee?”

“No, sir,” Winter said.

“Anything you want to add, James?” Ozpin asked James who stood off to the side, looking over at the courtyard of Beacon Academy.

“No.”

“I believe we are done, then.” Ozpin smiled at Winter and stood up from his seat. “You did what was expected from a huntress but, nevertheless, I apologize for the actions that had to be taken. The responsibility of your actions will linger. If you need help of any kind, please reach out.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Once we get the details from Qrow, we’ll effectively grade your mission and then you will continue forward in becoming a licensed huntress, ” Ozpin said. “Your flight to Atlas is tomorrow morning. The ticket information has been sent to your scroll.”

“Thank you. Is there anything else?”

“No, you’re free to go.”

Winter nodded and turned around to enter the elevator. Looking one last time to the three men in the room before the elevator doors closed. Ozpin sighed and said to Qrow, “So?”

“It’s just as she said,” Qrow answered after taking his eyes away from the elevator doors. “Aspen had a factory filled with faunus and was planning an attack in Row that night to capture and murder them. Ask Ironwood’s dogs, they could tell you that from everything they collected in his offices.”

“You were not there when Aspen died?”

“No.”

“Do you believe Miss Schnee’s story?”

“About being drugged and him pulling a gun on her? Yeah, I do.” Qrow leaned against the wall, “I’m worried about her, though. She killed someone, even if it’s in self-defense. It’s not something to treat lightly.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not the first time Winter had to kill,” Ironwood said offhandedly, surprised when Qrow turned to him sharply.

“What?” Qrow moved forward to grab Ironwood by the collar. Shocked anger crashed into him like a storm. “The fuck are you saying?”

Ironwood pulled Qrow’s grip away from his collar. “Winter has been sent on other missions where the situation called for her to eliminate-”

“You sent her to kill someone like she’s a fucking assassin! A murder?!” Qrow punched Ironwood in the jaw, rage filled him to the point his semblance flared and broke a window panel. “You’re her fucking headmaster! You’re supposed to train her, all of your damn students, to protect people!”

“When Winter enters the Military, these are things she-”

“Don’t you fucking dare decide her future! I won’t allow you to use her like one of your fucking, mindless military bastards!” 

“Enough,” Ozpin slammed his cane onto the ground. Clearly upset from what he heard, but he had to remain as the peacemaker between the two. “I am with Qrow on this.”

“As a headmaster or as the head of this Inner Circle?” Ironwood demanded, nursing his jaw.

“Headmaster,” Ozpin answered wearily. Everyone in the Inner Circle had to, at one point, kill someone to protect the secret of the four maidens and Salem.

“Atlas is different from Vale. We have an army with the purpose to protect the people of Atlas not only from Grimm, but from criminals like Aspen.” Ironwood argued. “Sending seniors on the accelerated military course to deal with a situation like the one in Row is something we have been practicing for over two decades. It hardens them to the cruel reality of this world. Grimm are not the only monsters huntsmen need to fight.”

Qrow snorted, taking the first swing of his flask in over six weeks. “Fuck you, Jimmy.”

“All seniors have been assigned a therapist to deal with the aftermath.”

“Really,” Qrow put his flask away and stuffed his hands deep in his pockets, “Fuck you.”

“Enough.” Ozpin rubbed his temple, divided between the reality of what Ironwood spoke and the ideology Qrow wanted. “What of the maidens?”

“I found this,” Qrow walked over to hand Ozpin a journal he pulled from his belt. “It’s Aspen’s. January 25 of last year.”

Ozpin opened the journal to the appointed page and read the entry. He sighed, “He knew of the maidens power.”

“Then it doesn’t matter that Winter killed him since Qrow would have.” Ironwood reasoned.

“It does matter,” Qrow snarled through clenched teeth. “Whether or not the blood was on my hands or hers, it will always fucking matter. A life taken is still a life taken. Don’t make the action light and harmless just because the person was a criminal.”

“Enough,” Ozpin said again, almost defeated. “What is done is done. For better or for worse, Aspen is not a threat to us any longer. We must shift our focus to the Family and Rena Bari.”

“What do you have in mind?” Ironwood asked, taking his glare off of Qrow.

“Nothing that can’t be shared tomorrow,” he said.  “Dismissed.”

~o~o~o~o~

“My flight is tomorrow morning at eight. I should arrive by three in the afternoon. Will you send Manet for me?”

Klein sputtered on the other side of the scroll, “Don’t be silly. I’ll go get you myself.”

“Only if you are not too busy,” Winter argued.

“Oh, Winnie. I’m never too busy for you,” Klein said, “It will also be good to see you. Two months without your presence in this place is far too long.”

“I missed you, too.” Winter heard tapping at her window and pushed her curtain aside. A large crow sat there, looking at her with red eyes. Strange.

“Weiss and Whitely will be excited to see you.”

“They are well?” She opened her window, holding her hand out for the crow. She smiled gently at it when it hopped on and she brought it inside.

Klein sighed and reassured her again that they were. “Besides Whitely crying for you in the middle of the night, they’re both fine.” 

“Did Weiss do well on her exam?” She set the crow on the back of the chair right next to the window as she normally did for the birds in Atlas.

“She got the top score.” 

“And Whitley’s tournament?” She stroked its feathers. They were dense but soft. It twitched its head side to side and she felt the need to squeeze it from how adorable it was.

“He got third place.”

Winter frowned, “Was…Father upset?” The crow fluffed its wings, almost looking concern. 

“Slightly.”

“Did he do anything to Whitely? Is Whitely truly okay?”

“A harsh scolding is all,” Klein rushed out. “Your mother redirected his anger to her.”

“Oh.” The crow hopped a bit, making her smile softly.

“You should have seen him,” Klein went on gently. “He was magnificent on the piano. He played the piece you taught him. Pincho’s Opus Five. It was lovely.”

“I will treat him for some dessert when I get back then. And how is Mother?”

“She’s fine, too. Her therapist prescribed her new medicine.”

“Is she taking them?”

“I don’t believe so.” 

“I will speak with her,” Winter sighed, “I apologize. It must be terrible late over there.”

“We’re only three hours ahead. No need to worries.”

“I will see you tomorrow, then.” 

“You will. I’ll see if I can bring Weiss or Whitely with me. We can all get some hot chocolate afterward.”

“Can we also get cake?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.”

“You're very welcome. Goodnight. Sleep well, snowflake.”

“Goodnight, Klein.” Winter ended the conversation and set her scroll down, shifting her full attention to the black crow. “You are quite cute,” she told it, “Cuter than a Qrow I know. Just do not tell him I said that. He gets jealous quite easily. It is almost amusing to see.”

The crow squawked in protested, hopping a bit more and she smiled.

“Oh? You disagree with me?”

It squawked again but then became silent as she went to remove her shirt and skirt. She wanted to take a shower before going to bed.  “Yes. Yes. Well, thank you for your company and commentary, but I must get ready for bed.” It jolted when she picked it up. She was so used to interacting with birds she thought nothing of it when she brought it to her cheek for a gentle hug. She walked it over to the window. “Take care now.” She stuck her hand out the window and the crow took off.

She closed the window and looked over to bed. Realizing she will be sleeping alone for the first time in almost seven weeks. It was off-putting. She made quick use of the shower and got ready for bed. Drying her hair, she glanced to her scroll and wondered if she should call Qrow or send him a message. However, if she did, it would only inflame up his ego. It was then she saw it blink blue, indicating she had a message.

 _Heading over to see you_.

That message was sent over twenty minutes ago. He should be here soon. As if he heard her, her scroll jolted as another message from Qrow arrived. 

 _Hurry up and finish with your shower. I’m outside your door_.

Winter frowned and strode over to her hotel door, opening it to see Qrow on the other side, leaning against the beige wall waiting for her. “Took you long enough,” he placed his scroll away and walked over to her; pointedly looking at her nightshirt. “Wearing my shirt? Didn’t know you miss me already.”

Winter went to shut the door and he grabbed it, preventing her to close it on his face. “Branwen.” She warned, glaring at his smirk.

“Come on. It’s just me. No need to be embarrassed.” His smirk grew at her huff, the door opening wide again but she stood directly in his path. He reached over to brush her slightly damp hair behind her ear, tracing his hand down her neck to the edge of the deep-V collar of the shirt. “Going to let me in?”

“How did you know I was here?” She asked, crossing her arms under her bust.

“I asked Ozpin.”

“And he told you?”

“Only after I said I had some red dust cartridges of yours I wanted to return.”

“I do not use red dust.”

Qrow’s eyes gleamed like garnets, “Oh, I know.”

“You are too obvious,” she sighed, stepping aside to let him in. “They are going to suspect something.”

“They already do,” he said, taking his shoes off at the entryway and glancing around the room that was way nicer than his own. Winter shut the door, blushing at the thought of the headmasters knowing there was something going on between them. Qrow noticed her pressing her head against the door and chuckled, “What? Ashamed of me?”

“Only of your manners,” she pushed off the door, willing her blush to go away. “Just…embarrassed. Affection, especially public, is not common where I grew up.”

“What? Rich Atlas folks don’t kiss and fall in love?”

“Not unless it brings their social status up.”  She said, rolling her eyes at his scowl. “Such an expression.”

“I don’t want you in that kind environment.”

“Yet, it is the only one I know.”

“It’s not healthy.”

“Concerned?”

“If I was?”

“Then it is misplaced. You should worry about yourself.” She frowned, “I am not from an average family and I do not want your reputation to be ruined because of me.”

“My reputation?” He scoffed, pausing from looking at her things, “I don’t care about your family or my reputation.”

“You should care. They could easily label you as a predator.”

Qrow let out a curt laugh, “If only they knew you were the one that climbed on top of me.”

“As if you were complaining.”

“Never said I was,” he sat at the edge of her bed.

“Truly, besides vexing me. Is there a reason why you are here?”

“Just wanted to pay a visit, ensure you’re safe and sound and, maybe, get a kiss or two out of you.” He said, grinning at the roll of her eyes. “I also wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“I am.”

“You sure? Jimmy…told me about, you know, this not being your first kill.”

Winter noticed him looking away from her. Surprised at the sharp pain the small action caused in her. “I…will not blame you if you find me repulsive now.”

“I’ll be a hypocrite if I did.”

“Then…you have?”

“Yeah,” Qrow said carefully, “Do you hate me now?”

“No,” she said, “It may not be the most virtues path but we are protecting the innocent and good, and that...has to be worth something.”

“Yeah,” he sighed and ran his hand over his chin, “Are you really okay?”

 “I am,” she looked him over, his posture was awkward and he had a hard time meeting her eyes. “Are you?”

“I don’t know yet, but,” he flashed her a small grin, “I think I’ll feel better after a kiss.”

“Qrow-”

“Come here.” He waved her over.

She frowned but made her way over to him. He noticed her hand and was found he missed seeing the wedding band around her finger. He thumbed over her finger and cupped her face tenderly, pausing as he looked into her eyes and felt an abundance of emotions in him before bringing her into a kiss. “Hey. I promise this is only the beginning of us." 

“Do not make promises you cannot keep.”

“I’m not.”

She hummed, not believing him fully but still, his words warmed her. “I do believe you actually made my heart skip for once.”

“I told you I was charming.”

“Do not get too full of yourself,” she smoothed her hands over his shoulders, climbing onto the bed with him, into his arms for a tender kiss and full-bodied embrace.

The mission ended so hastily that the goodbye they planned – well, he planned – never happened. He wanted to have one last homemade dinner and shower together. Savor her for one final night in their bed in the house they called home. However, it didn’t truly matter because being wrapped in her arms, her skin warm with from her shower, he realized it wouldn’t be their last night. Home was right here.

“Winter.”

“Yes?”

“I’m staying for the night.”

Winter snorted delicately, “Is that a statement or a request?”

Qrow didn’t answer, kissing her again in the slow and deep manner she liked. She was soft under his hands, warm and supple. Going down underneath her shirt, he palmed her thighs and slid them up, pushing the shirt until it went over her head. Besides her panties, she was entire nude and ripe for the taking. He paused over her flesh wound on her arm, kissing it as if to ask for forgiveness, and did the same for the cut on her cheek. Unlike him, she took her time to remove his clothes, too distracted by his lips to focus on the loosening fabric. 

Impatient, Qrow threw his cape and shirt aside, reaching to pick Winter up with one arm and turning them over so she was lying on the bed. He kissed her, made a path of kisses from her lips to her neck, nibbling and sucking the skin there until it was red. She finished undressing him. Her panties thrown aside. Like taking a deep breath, he slipped inside of her tenderly. Rocking with their limbs clinging on one another, their lips brushing and kissing even so often, their gaze heavy and only went astray when he hit that trembling pulse of pleasure inside of her or when she tightened and squeezed her heat over his rigid cock.

In the morning, it was her alarm of birds tweeting that woke him up. He reached over to silence it. The thin blankets thrown over their nude forms kept them warm. Her hand curled in his as she slept peacefully next to him, and a sense of bitterness and longing settled in his stomach knowing she would leave him soon. Kissing her shoulder roughly, he told her it was time to get up. She mumbled something and went to her side.

“Winter,” he grinned and tugged at a strand of long, white hair. “Wake up. You have a flight in three hours.”

“I am…awake.”

“Bullshit.”

She mumbled something about his language and turned back to her side to glare of him groggily. “I am,” she stated, brushing her hair over her shoulder and stretching. Burrowing deeper into the blankets, wanting the warmth to last a few more moments, she met his sadden gaze. “Are you going to miss me that much?”

“Yeah,” he kissed her palm, rubbing his thumb over her wrist. “Thankfully, you’re just one plane ride away.”

“Qrow.”

“Yeah?” 

“Once more,” she leaned forward and kissed him, pushing him onto his back to climb on top of him. This way, they were both able to convey to each other the unspoken words they wanted to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait on the upload! Hope you all enjoy the last chapter of this arc! c:
> 
> @ Akira_0 I admit I was thinking of having Qrow deal with Aspen but felt it would mean more for the plot if it was Winter. I hope it was a nice surprise. 
> 
> @ RayByAnotherName I think if well written in the canon series, it could be a really interesting plot line! Thank you for reading. 
> 
> @ KotoTachibana I honestly think it's fascinating! That fact that their semblance is a foil to Salem is super interesting. Salem can create grimm and the Schnees can basically create them too, and have them do what they say. It's too interesting to just leave it was an OP semblance. It's just...to suspicious or convenient of a character attribute. Anyways, I don't plan to write/explore about it in my fic since I want this fic to be canon compliant. It was just a little wink to my headcanon. I also agree it is unfortunate your first review is a negative one. However, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> @ Haley_HI I could think of a load of ways as to why Winter was kicked out and why Qrow doesn't know. One simply being that each academy is responsible for the safety of the relic in addition to the safety of the maiden related to said academy and relic. I re-watched RWBY a few times already, but it may have slipped by me, but I think Qrow only knows about the Fall Madien because he worked directly for Oz and Beacon. Not really for the other academies. He may know but not really...'know.' Again, that's just one theory. Nevertheless, the headcanon was a nod to my headcanon and I won't be exploring it. Thank you for reading! I hope this chapter was satisfactory to the reasoning of why it was an easy kill for Winter.
> 
> Sneak peek of the next chapter: 
> 
> Qrow snorted, “What? So I can pass your phone number to them? The girls will get jealous.”
> 
> “Shut up,” Taiyang shoved Qrow. “I meant for you.”
> 
> “As if I wanted or even had time. I spent the majority of the mission making sure no desperate guy got ideas about Winter and keeping us alive.”
> 
> “Winter?” Taiyang perked an interested eyebrow, “you went on the mission with her?”


	25. First Days Back

Qrow awoke in the dead of night, heart pounding as he looked around his room in fright. He could not move or speak. All he could do was blink and make some muffled noise as darkness took shape around him. He knew what was happening, and he was not surprised that the day after Winter left to Atlas he was having a night terror.

He tried to wake up.

Remembering Winter’s gentle whisper and her hand, warm from sleep, gliding down his neck to his stomach and up. His breathing exercise. He tried to do it. Inhale. Hold it. Exhale. Repeat. He tried again. And again. But then he saw a figure crept towards him, felt as if someone got into his bed. An arm, thin and bony, went around his waist and claws dug into his skin. He lay there, panicked, knowing there was no one in bed with him, but the doubt lingered and his fear continued to raise. He wiggled his toe. Wanting to wake up.

Then, he heard a disembodied voice in his ear, “Not yet. You’re not ready yet. I’ll come back when you are.”

A yell ripped from his throat that did not sound likes his and he threw himself away from his bed. He fell onto the floor hard, landing right on his elbow and he felt the pain quake through his bones. He hastily reached for the lamp next to his bed and the dark looming figure looking over at him vanished with the light. Breathing deeply, he calmed himself down, jumping when he heard the thump of a neighbor’s hand against his wall.

"Sorry," he mumbled weakly, raking his hand through his hair. Before he thought about what he was doing, he was reaching for his scroll with the intention to dial for Winter. But it was two in the morning meaning it was five in the morning at Atlas right now. He cursed and set his scroll down. Looking over to his bed, he saw the right side undisturbed and he longed for Winter.

On his first full day back, the morning sun crept into the living room. He filled the largest mug he had with coffee and sat in his dingy kitchen wearing only his boxers. His apartment never felt like home but even more so now. Still, he did not linger in his apartment. After he drank his coffee and ate some toast with jam, he got dressed and went out the door. He ran errands, returned to do some cleaning and read a book before drinking himself to sleep.

On the second day, he went to meet with Ozpin for a mission debrief. He would be traveling down to the south of Mistral in a week to follow a lead on Salem. Afterward, he grabbed lunch at a diner, went to buy some new tools to repair and tinker with Harbinger, and watched three hours of old sitcom reruns until he fell asleep on the couch. Bottles of beer lined at his feet.

On the third day, Ruby and Yang messaged him, asking when he was going to visit. Since he had nothing to do all day he decided he could at least bum around at their house. The moment he arrived at the log cabin of a house, he was already out the door and in a car going to the grocery store with Tai and the girls. They all debated on what to have for lunch. Ruby wanted noodles. Yang demanded a burger. Tai suggested rice with chicken. Qrow didn’t care as long as it wasn’t burnt again. Tai gasped loudly at the offense. 

Walking down the street, Qrow found himself inside a bakery out of habit with the intention of buying Winter a piece of cake when he realized that she won’t be waiting for him in the market, at the corner of the street, or at home. All of that was over.

Still, he already ordered the slice of cake and decided to order three more for him and the rest of his small family. Ruby and Yang were pleased. According to Taiyang, cake was normally for special occasions and when they asked why, Qrow simply said he had a craving and that was special enough for him.

Back at their house, Qrow helped slice the vegetables for lunch and set the table. He joked and talked with his nieces, laughing when Yang told him she accidentally punched the captain of the track team at school. Taiyang didn’t find it as funny since she was suspended for a week. Ruby showed him the progress on her own weapon, which she dubbed as Crescent Rose. He was flattered that she modeled it after his and patted her head with a grin.

For dinner, the girls and Taiyang argued what to have until Qrow said he was craving soup. It surprised them all. Normally Qrow didn’t care what they would have for dinner as long as it was edible, but they were all pleased and agreed that soup sounded nice. Garlic bread was made; the girls requested grilled cheese since their soup was tomato bisque.

As Qrow and Taiyang cleaned up, Taiyang went to pass Qrow a wet plate for drying when he noticed Qrow’s distracted expression. “What’s up?”

Qrow turned to Taiyang, almost as if he forgot Taiyang was there and shook his head. “Nothing.”

Taiyang frowned and passed another dish to Qrow. “How was the mission?”

“Good.”

“Meet any cute girls?” 

Qrow snorted, “So I can pass your phone number to them? The girls will get jealous.”

“Shut up,” Taiyang shoved Qrow. “I meant for you.”

“As if I wanted or even had time. I spent the majority of the mission making sure no desperate guy got ideas about Winter and keeping us alive.”

“Winter?” Taiyang perked an interested eyebrow; “you went on the mission with her?”

Qrow cursed inwardly. He didn’t mean to let it slip. “Yup.”

“And?”

“We completed the mission.”

Taiyang kicked Qrow in the leg, “Sharing is caring.”

“That hurts!”

"Stop being a baby."

Qrow rubbed his thigh, “Shut up. And there’s nothing to tell.”

“Oh? Then why do you look so lovesick?”

“Lovesick?” Qrow narrowed his eyes, “I don’t look lovesick.”

“You’re sulking.”

“I’m not.”

“And pouting.”

“Oh, you’re really trying to pick a fight with me, aren’t cha?”

“Did you tell her how you feel?”

Qrow clenched his jaw and went back to drying the piled of dishes Taiyang made in front of him. “Yeah,” he grunted.

“Should I hope and assume it went well?”

Qrow repeated his answer, a little softer, “Yeah.”

“Should we expect her for dinner, soon?”

“No,” Qrow said after a moment. “Not yet.”

“Well, whenever that time comes, get her over here.”

Qrow finished drying the last mug in front of him. “She likes soup.”

“Oh?” Taiyang looked over to the leftover bowl of soup on the counter. “We’ll make soup, then.”

An hour later, Qrow was back at his apartment. He kicked the door shut behind him and went to place his weapon down. He grabbed the last bottle of whiskey he had and poured a drink for himself. He perked an eyebrow at the empty bottles of liquor he had crowded in the corner of his kitchen and put them in a plastic bag.

He could hear Winter sigh annoyingly at the sight and her frown of displeasure, but behind her eyes, he saw the concern she had and that made a knot of guilt form in his stomach. He could only enjoy a drink with her when they were out at a restaurant, but at their home when he had a drink, she saw what he was trying to hide but would not make a comment on it.

Her silence only made his shame burn.

Drinking the remainder of his whiskey he went to get ready for bed. Taking his time in the shower and getting dress. Hair damp, he went to check his scroll one last time before heading to bed when he saw he got a message from her.  
  
_Warning. I have new secret admirers that are exceptionally more charming than you._

He scowled at the preview message and went to open the image she sent and laughed as the group of actual crows perched on her balcony rail; one holding a flower, another a button, and the last one had a shiny rock in its beak. He lay down on his bed, seeing it was ten. It was pretty late at Atlas. Nevertheless, he sent a message right back.  
  
_You just attract a certain type of breed, don’t you?_

He waited to see if she would message back, wondering if she had fallen asleep already but his scroll chimed.

_It must be my allure. It cannot be helped._

He snorted, feeling a weight lift off of his chest and tingling rush of happiness settle over him peacefully.

_True. It worked on me too easily after all._

Qrow spent the next few minutes chatting with Winter through messages, almost as if she was in the room next to him, her hand in his as she matched his every quip with her own clever words. Such simple texts appearing on his scroll and he never thought it would mean so much for him.  It was almost painful when he sent her off to bed but her message back stating she would talk to him tomorrow made it sting less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and thanks for reading! c:
> 
> @Miku I am crying. I'm always crying when it comes to my feelings about Qrow and Winter ;A;
> 
> @ Haley_HI Thank you! I'm going to petition that Klien becomes the new father to the sch-blings. And YYYYOOOOoooo...it's going to get sadder for Winter bc military PTSD and morally injured are going to come into play for her in the future. Tears. Sadness. Guilt. Self-harm. Too real. Please send help. 
> 
> @ Megan+toncray uummmm, I honestly don't know but it's more than 15????? At the moment?? Since it's a slice-of-life kind of fic, I don't have a "true" ending. The ending of this fic will be either a pre or post fic on their reunion meeting from season 3. 
> 
> @ Akira_0 Thank you! I try to keep her experience with Qrow and her relationship with him as new, naive, and cautious since he is her first true relationship. Even though they both have no real idea on what they're doing. haha Thank you for reading!


	26. Tea Time

Winter stirred the sugar in her black tea silently, the smell of vanilla wafted through her mother’s sunroom. It was built in the back of the manor, attached to her mother’s personal studies and was filled with the rose hedges that were in full bloom. The sun was sinking, making the tea and sandwiches Klein made perfect for the hour. 

“I am told you taught Whitely the piece he performed at the tournament.” Across the glass table, Willow sat drinking tea, too, and eating a cucumber sandwich slice. 

“I did.”

“It was lovely.”

“I asked him to perform it for me but he refused.”

“He was a little hurt that you had to miss it,” Willow laughed softly. She reached across the table; brushing Winter’s bangs back and sliding her hand down Winter’s arm until she grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. “You passed your final mission?”

“I did.”

“Then, in a month time, you will graduate,” she said wistfully. “Congratulations.”

“I have not graduated yet.”

“Oh, but you will soon.” Willow chuckled, “I am thinking of having the graduation dinner at the Silver Leaf or, perhaps, the Cinnamon Maple. Where would you prefer?”

“Cinnamon Maple,” Winter answered with a smile. “Weiss likes the risotto there and Whitely has a fondness for the waffle desserts.”

“Oh, I am quite aware but this is about you. Please, think of what you would like instead.”

“I do like the bisque at Silver Leaf.”

“Then Silver Leaf it is,” Willow went to write it down in her planner. She looked up at Winter, stun at times at how similar they looked and relieved that she looked nothing like Jacques. “I remember when the nurse brought you to me after being born.”

“Feeling nostalgic?” Winter teased gently.

“Oh, yes. You are my firstborn who is about to graduate. I cannot help but think of when I first laid my eyes on you. You were so fat. Over ten pounds. They said you were the plumpest baby in the ward. Thus, making all the nurses fawn over you. I had to argue with the nurses to let me hold you,” Willow smiled at the memory. 

“Were you happy?”

“Of course. You, Weiss and Whitely are the loves of my life.” Willow glanced to her tea and went back to a safer topic before she started to blabber. “Who was your mentor for your mission?”

“A huntsman from Vale.”

“From Vale? How exciting,” Willow poured more tea in their cups. “You know, when I was in the Academy, Headmaster Ironwood was my mentor.”

“Was he truly?”

“Yes. At the time he was a captain in the Atlas Military. Boorish and prone to fight at the slightest insult against his pride.”

“It sounds nothing like him.”

“Well,” Willow chuckled, “it was almost twenty-five years ago. People change.”

“Do…,” Winter took a smooth breath, hoping she won’t offend her mother, “Do you regret not becoming a huntress?”

“I don’t know,” Willow answered. “My first instinct is to say yes, but in a world where I did become a huntress instead of following Papa’s footsteps in running the company, I would not have you or your siblings.”

“If we were not in the picture then?”

“Yes,” Willow answered carefully, almost as if the words were made of thin glass. “I wanted to do good in the world and have a life full of adventure like Papa Nicholas did in his youth. I remember seeing so many new and different things when I was little, the satisfaction of all the improvements and advancement Atlas made through Papa’s company. I wanted to do good and be good, be innovated. And then I made a bad decision,” Willow’s nose twitched, a way to keep the tears at bay. 

“What decision was that?” Winter asked after a moment.

“I fell in love,” Willow gave a pained smile.

“With Father?”

“No, with – I fell in love with Headmaster Ironwood,” Willow confessed. “Despite being ten years my senior, he was the stars in the sky for me.”

Winter blinked, surprised but she kept her expression trained. “If I may ask, what happened?”

“Well, I confessed to him during my senior mission and we had a very brief romance that only lasted two months. During that time, he got promoted and there were a few rumors saying he got the promotion due to me, due to him dating the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. If only he knew that Papa did not have a favorable opinion of the Military or of him,” she chuckled. “He told me, as much as he cared for me, he did not want others to think he was using my name to rise up in the ranks.

“I asked if rumors mattered more than us and he would not answer. Instead, he asked me of my aspirations in life. Would I be a huntress? Would I continue in Papa’s footsteps? I spent a sleepless week thinking over his questions. Wondering what I wanted to do, which is such an awful question to ask someone that was just twenty-one,” Willow gave another chuckle, “especially one like me who was raised with a gold spoon in her mouth.

“Then, the questions morphed into: could I give up my name and status to do good in the world as a huntress? Could I discard the legacy Papa made to make my own? Are my talents and skills most needed elsewhere that was not in the Company?” Willow smiled, a bitter note raised on the corner of her lips. “Well, being where we are, you can guess my choice.”

“You picked the Company.”

“I did,” Willow said, “Making the world better, using dust to advance humanity, I decided that mission was more important than me and my feelings for him. And James, well, James wanted nothing to do with SDC on a personal level. My name was too much of a burden for a man like him, a man who came from an impoverished neighborhood in Mantle and was a military dog. He said he would always love me but his love was not the same as mine. Then again, he must have felt the same since I picked the legacy Papa was making over him. We parted ways after that. He attended military campaigns and battles while I attended business meetings and political campaigns. Both of us trying to better the world but in different ways.

“During that time, with my heart broken and scattered, your father who I knew for some time helped mend it. He wrote me so many letters during that time. I still have them and when I read them, I wonder where that man went.” She tapped the edge of her teacup, lost in thought for a moment. “In two years, we were married and soon had you. James became a whisper in a breeze brought by the smell of gunpowder and citrus. It was when you were six and I was pregnant with Weiss that your father and I began to have trouble in our marriage. 

“Papa was planning to step down as Executive Director of the Company after running it for more than forty-five years. I do not know how it happened but the plan to have me inherit the Company changed to your Father. We had a huge fight over this, your father, Papa Nicholas, and I. For a moment, I thought your father and I were going to get divorced because of this. I wanted to save our marriage, not believing I could survive another heartbreak, not wanting to pick the Company again over what I thought was love…I let it be. There were many things Jacques wanted to implement and change that I was against. The tension was…suffocating but I told myself that I had to endure. 

“It was at this time that I ran into James after eight years at a charity banquet. You got lost and he found you. He brought you back to me and I remembered thinking he was just as handsome as always. Since then, I wondered every day if I made the right choice. If I placed my faith in the right man. If I would have made the radical changes I strived to established for the citizens of Atlas and Mantle if I picked myself over the Company.” Willow stopped and inhaled brokenly. “Would I have been happier with him than with…?”

Winter reached over to hold her mother’s hand, not making a comment on the tears that were running down their faces. The wind chimes from the gardens twinkled and the tea in their cups was cold. 

“Winter,” Willow spoke after a long moment.

“Yes?”

“I see the want in you. The want to fight for justice and good. Determined. Radical.” Willow’s words burned with grit. “Hungry. Do not be ashamed of it. Understood?”

“Yes.”

Willow squeezed Winter’s hand, “Most of all, if there is one thing you can learn from me, if the occasion ever arises where you must decide between the Company and your happiness, please, as your mother, please pick your happiness. Do not make the same mistake as I did. Your desire to do good, to be good, can continue even if the Company is taken away from you. You are more than a name, more than the Company. Than a legacy. You…you are Winter and you can make dust into stars.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short baby chapter of mother and daughter bonding. Hope you enjoyed my render of Willow. ALSO, sorry for not adding a sneak peek of this chapter in the last chapter. It was a my bad. 
> 
> @ Haley_HI Sorry for not adding the sneak peek! Like I mentioned, it was a my bad. Haha I like to think Winter does the same thing when it comes to Qrow. Except, instead of buying him a cake, she developed the habit of making coffee in the morning since he always had coffee in the morning when they were living in Row. So, Winter has to pretend she made it for Weiss. Which is why, in my headcanon, Weiss is addicted to coffee. 
> 
> @ ShadowGameOn Thanks! I am also dying. ;A; Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> @ Akira_0 I would feel bad if it's constant action without a nice slice of life break. haha thank you for commenting and I glad you liked the chapter!
> 
> @ Megan+toncray Do it! Do it! Do it!
> 
> @ Theresivy Thank you so much! :3 I am so happy you enjoy my fluffy heart and goo headcanon Qrowin nonsense of a fic. haha I hope I don't disappoint you in the future. As for your question, girl, I got you. The post-canon ficlets of them settling down and having babies are already developing in my mind since this past new years. So, in other words, yes, I will be writing another slice of life drabble series post-canon after I complete this one. The first few chapters will basically be a prequel to my other Qrowin fic, "If I Believed", and then jump to after they become engage. There will be drama. Tears. Near death experience. A baby. Maybe two. Maybe three. Afterall, Qrow, in this fic, did state he wanted a little army. :v We'll see. But, yes. Please expect it to come out...hopefully, this summer. I have a few more chapters of this fic. 
> 
> Here's a sneak peek for the next chapter that will have fluff and development between our two love birds:
> 
> “Wait, does this mean I have your blessing to date your now-former star student here?” Qrow grinned at Ironwood's snort. 
> 
> “My blessing? No. My unwilling acceptance? Barely.” He looked over Qrow once more with transgression before he left to speak with other graduated students and their families. 
> 
> “Must you be so antagonizing?” Winter frowned.
> 
> “Only on the weekdays. Come on, Frost Flower,” he pressed a hand on her back to move her towards the city, vaguely realizing that this would be the last time he would see her in her Atlas uniform. “I’ll buy you some dinner as congratulations. Nothing too expensive, though; I don’t have your family’s kind of money.”


	27. Graduation

There were streamers and confetti on the ground as friends and families cried and laughed together at the bittersweet signal of a closing chapter. Qrow realized that in a few years, he would be seeing an echo of this event with Yang and Ruby. It would be him and Taiyang hugging the girls as they jumped and waved their diplomas around. He hoped by that time, Winter would be there, too, by his side celebrating.

Qrow smiled at the thought and leaned against the entrance. He kept searching through the stream of students and parents weaving in and out of the courtyard for her. He saw her up on stage when she accepted her diploma from Ironwood. She did nothing over the top like other students who waved at the crowd, flipped off the stage, or whooped loudly. No. Instead, she gave a polite smile and saluted the headmaster before walking across the stage. 

He, however, made sure to clap loudly when her name was called.

A wave of students crossed in front of him and a narrow path appeared before him through the string of people, and at the end was Winter looking up at the Academy. He called out to her without thinking, barely containing the excitement he felt. It had been over a month since they last had seen each other.  

So, while stillness settled among the crowd of recently graduated Atlas students and their families for Winter, who was stun at seeing Qrow at the entrance waiting for her, he simply threw her a large smirk. It jarred her enough to walk over to him.

“Congrats on graduating, Snow Queen.”

“I thought you were on a mission.”

 “I took the day off. It’s not every day a huntress graduates from an academy,” Qrow pushed off the wall he was leaning on to meet her.

“That is surprisingly considerate of you. Thank you.”

“I’m always considerate.” Qrow leaned down, narrowing his eyes on the fading bruise on her right cheekbone. “Did you miss blocking an attack?”

“Whitely threw his toy car at me while I was braiding Weiss’ hair this past Saturday.”

 “You can take down a grimm dragon all by yourself, but can’t block a toy car? That’s sad,” Qrow goaded. “Maybe you need an extra year in the Academy?”

“Same can be said for you,” she shot back, “I recall your eldest niece gracing your face with a black eye.”

“I was tagged team against,” Qrow argued.

“A highly trained huntsman yet you still make excuses,” Winter walked around him. “How unappealing."

“Unappealing?" He nearly sputtered. "How about we sneak into one of the empty classrooms here and I show you how unappealing I am,”  Qrow smirked at the roll of her eyes. He looked up for a moment at the hordes of students, Atlas Academy staff members, and families. “Where’s your family?”

“My father is out of town for a business meeting.”

“Mommy dearest and the Schnee-blings?”

“She is sick and Father sent Weiss and Whitely to visit an uncle in the afternoon.”

“Your nanny?”

“Klein,” she corrected sharply and huffed at his grin. “He went with Weiss and Whitely.”

“Your mom, I can understand but your dad? He couldn’t reschedule or let the kiddos stay?”

Winter began to walk them towards the exit of Atlas Academy, “no.”

“Are they at least planning a dinner for you?”

Winter was quiet for a moment. “No,” she answered again, “My graduation date had filled the house with some tension.”

“Why’s that?”

“I am…not meeting the expectations placed on me.”

“You graduated the top of your class. What more does he except?” Qrow snorted, knowing it was her father causing trouble. “To marry some shallow rich, playboy and work at the Company?”

“Yes.” 

Qrow froze and looked down at her. “What?”

“He wants me to marry and work at the Company. I told him I was not ready. That I would like to be a huntress,” Winter smiled somberly, “he got so angry that he hasn’t truly spoken to me over the last five months.”

“Not even after you came back from Row?”

A pain expression flickered across her face for a moment, as if she remembered something unpleasant. “No.”

“What a shitty father.”

“It is what it is,” Winter said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Qrow wanted to disagree but they stopped at the call of her name and turned to see Ironwood walking towards them. He narrowed his eyes when he took note of Qrow. “Qrow? I wasn’t expecting you. Is there some news?”

“Nope.”

Ironwood paused and looked between him and Winter, eyebrows furrowing. “Then, what are you here for?”

“Isn’t obvious?” Qrow gestured to Winter, “I’m going to take Snow Queen here out for dinner.” Suddenly, his grin grew smug, “You could even say I’m taking her on a date.”

Winter blinked in surprised, her cheeks dusting pink as she watched the silent exchanged between Qrow and Ironwood. She figured this topic of conversation, Qrow’s involvement with her, was a frequently discussed matter from the way they stood. She could understand Ironwood’s concern. He had been in her life since she was a child and was a father figure to her. Years ago, at one of the first parties her father made her attend when she was fourteen, Ironwood pulled Demetrius Bruin off of her when he cornered her in the restroom. Since then, Ironwood had been watching over her and her siblings.

“Not that I don’t trust you but when it comes to Miss Schnee, I don’t,” Ironwood said.

“Hey-”

“Winter,” Ironwood turned to her, “I trust you. This dusty, old bird –”

“Old?” Qrow said offended.

“- is not overstepping himself, is he?”

“There is nothing to be concern about, Headmaster.” Her ears were getting a little pink.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Quit your worrying,” Qrow leaned over and wrapped an arm around Winter’s waist. “We became pretty close during those seven weeks in Row.”

“What?!”

Winter impassionately pushed Qrow away. Another word from him and they both might get a scolding from Ironwood. “If an issue arises, you will be the first to know, Headmaster.”

Ironwood crossed his arms, “One slip up, Qrow.”

“Yeah. Yeah. You can kick my ass after Ice Queen does,” Qrow said.

“Is there anything else, Headmaster?” Winter asked.

“Yes,” he sighed, “I know you already gave your opinion on the matter, but I sincerely hope you take more consideration to it.”

“I will.”

“Can we meet on a later date to discuss it?”

“We may.”

“Well, then,” he looked sternly between them, “I’ll let you two be then. Please expect an email from me soon. Oh, and congratulations." 

“Thanks,” Qrow smirked, tugging Winter to his side again. "I promise not to disappoint you, father-in-law."

“No! Not you!”

“Thank you, Headmaster,” Winter pushed Qrow behind her.

“Quick question, Jimmy. Does this mean I have your blessing to date your now-former star student?” Qrow chuckled at Ironwood’s snort.

“My blessing? No. My unwilling acceptance? Barely.” He looked over Qrow once more with transgression before he left to speak with other graduated students and their families.

“Must you be so antagonizing?” 

“Only on the weekdays. Come on, Frost Flower,” he pressed a hand on her back to move her towards the city, vaguely realizing that this would be the final time he would see her in her Atlas uniform. “I’ll buy you some dinner as congratulations. Nothing too expensive, though; I don’t have your family’s kind of money.”

Winter matched his strides. “There is a restaurant that sells good seafood near the lake.”

“Seafood?”

“They also have a bar.”

“I love fish.” 

The sun began to set as they made their ways to the restaurant. Qrow offered to take a taxi but Winter declined. She preferred walking. Spring in Atlas was much colder than Vale and even more so than Patch. Still, trees were blossoming. The spring butterflies were at their peak in numbers, floating along with people walking down the streets. 

Winter stiffened a laugh at one of Qrow’s stories, causing him to frown and repeat the line again until she pushed him away from her. She was happy that he was here with her, relieved that she wasn’t going to spend her most proud and accomplished day thus far alone. She glanced at Qrow, thinking of thanking him but her mind went blank. The sun was sinking on the cusp of the park’s horizon and shined behind him brightly, highlighting the sharp angles of his face and the red of his irises.

“What is it?” Qrow asked when he noticed her staring. “Did my humor and good looks sweep you off your feet?”

 “Of course not. I simply realized I lost a vital human component of myself.”

“What are you talking about? I have your heart right here,” he patted his hand against his chest.

“No, I lost my good judgment and now my appetite.”

Qrow curved down to kiss her swiftly, pulling back with a smirk. “If you’re hungry for another one, let me know.”

“Grackle,” she reddened and stepped away.

“As for your good judgment, of course, you’ve lost it if you haven’t fallen for me already after everything.”

“Your arrogance has ceased to amaze me, and as for your courting methods, they are deplorable and juvenile,” she frowned and went to wipe her thumb across his jaw. “And you have dirt on your face,” she lied.

“Courting?”

“Dating,” Winter remedied, rolling her eyes.

“Juvenile!? Whoa. Hey. You take that back! I’m good at dating you.” He saw the same pain expression from earlier emerged for a second. She took a step away and would have taken another if he didn’t grab her hand. “Win?”

The words that were churning over and over in her head for the last week fell too easily, too painfully, from her lips. “You do not want to date me.” She hoped to tell him this at the end of the day. So, she could at least pretend for a few more hours that this happiness would remain.

He furrowed his eyebrows and scoffed, “Well, that’s too bad for you since I do. We’ve also been unofficially dating for the past, what, seven months.”

She tugged her hand out of his, barely stopping herself from scowling. “I do not call dropping in unannounced, especially during missions, as dating.”

“We talked a lot during those missions and I always buy you dinner. That’s dating.”

“More like you blabbering and bribing me with sweets.”

His lips twitched into a smirk. He did like to buy her sweets since it always brought a pleasing look to her eyes. “What would you call our mission to Row, then?”

She paused; wanting to tell him it was fantasy reserved to that small, modest town where she was not restrained nor haunted by her name. Where she could be selfish. Where she could pretend to have the future she had always dreamed. 

“That is neither here nor there.”

“Winter –”

“You do not know my family,” she turned away from him.

“Only because you haven’t introduced them to me.” He grabbed her hand again, wanting her to look at him.

“I did not mean it like that, however, if I did, my father would despise you. “

“Likewise." 

“And I do not know anything about your family.”

“Twin sister who’s out of the picture named Raven. An honoree sister named Summer who passed away a few years ago. A kind of a brother-in-law named Taiyang. And two nieces - Yang and Ruby - around your sister’s age. They’re in Patch.”

“I know that much.” 

“What then? Do you want to meet them? Because Tai already knows about you and wants to have you over for dinner.”

“No, that was not – I cannot impose.”

“He practically cornered me to ask you.”

“No,” Winter looked up at him, “I cannot impose myself to them.”

He frowned, catching a strand of her long hair, “Winter - ”

“My name…it comes – I come with unnecessary burdens.”

“You're not a burden," he stated fiercely, "and I don't care about your family's name and they won't either."

“Be serious for once and think about what being with _me_ means,” she nearly hissed. “What I represent. What I will bring to you.”

“I have.”

“And?”

“It means being annoyed nearly eight percent of the time, but also happy about it. It means becoming a better man. Fighting battles using words instead of weapons. Dressing up a bit more, I guess, and I’m fine with that. I mean I look good in a suit.”

“It is not that…Qrow,” she sighed and pushed him back gently, “Take this serious. You do not want this. Me.”

He snorted, “I don’t know who got in your head but I’ll kick their ass later. Don't, not even for one second, assume I don't know what I want. Especially when it comes to you.”

“Qrow-”

“I want you. I’ll do whatever it takes to be with you. So, shut up and accept it.”

“Pardon?”

“You heard me.”

“You are a bigger fool than I originally thought!” She snapped. “A simple-minded dolt!”

“That’s fine with me,” he growled back.

“Is that so?!”

“Yeah, it is! Better to be simple-minded than a coward!”

“Coward?!” 

“Yeah! Coward!” He yelled back and took a deep breath. “Look, you’re afraid. I get it. But know that if anything happens, we’ll just deal with it,” He answered firmly, unwavering and she wanted to believe it. “And once we do, we can move on to the more important stuff.”

“Important stuff?” 

“Yeah. Like you admitting you love me.” 

This time she did snort, “Branwen-”

“What? Do you want me to officially ‘court’ you?” He used his fingers to quote the word court. “Would that make you fall for me?”

“Your confidence is astounding to ask such a feat from me.” 

“Well,…it wasn’t hard for me."

“Pardon?”

“Do I really need to spell it out for you?”

She shook her head. “What do you know about love?”

“I know it’s the color of your eyes,” The gravitas of his voice stilled her, “and it feels like your hands in mine. It smells like you in the morning, cool and fresh but sweet like lilies. It sounds like your laughter, as rare as it is, and it looks like your smile and the blush on your ears.” He stepped close to her until there were centimeters apart, touching her ear that was pink. “And it tastes like your kiss.”

Winter’s breathing got shallow as he leaned down. Her cheeks burned and her heart was threatening to tear out of her chest and ran away to Mistral. She took a hasty step back much to Qrow’s exasperation. She couldn’t let her emotions take the best of her and she intended to tell him that what he wanted could not happen.

What they wanted could not happen.

“I am the heiress to the riches dust company in the world,” she nearly snarled, “I am used to satin, jewels dripping from my neck, being driven around by a chauffeur, and eating the most expensive food prepared by a personal chef! What makes you think for one second I would even consider having a low-class commoner as yourself?!”

Instead of lashing out in hurt, offense, or anger as she hoped he would, Qrow laughed deeply instead. She wondered painfully if he was going to agree and chide himself for getting so caught up with her, but when she saw that smug look on his face, she realized she didn’t fool him.

She probably never could.

He was able to read her so effortlessly. 

“Easy,” he began to say and caught her elbow when she tried to take a step back. “You ran away with me to drink some coffee, play at an arcade, and eat porgies until three in the morning over being at a party where there was plenty of satin and jewels. You prefer to walk to being driven. You prefer cakes and sweets from local bakeries than eating at five-star restaurants.”

“Qrow.” 

“And as for a low-class commoner like me? I know you prefer me over all those rich snobs because you handmade _me_ a scarf and called to wish _me_ a Happy Year End. You left an important brunch-meeting thing to pick _me_ up at a bar because I drank too much. You looked for _me_ after being told I was poisoned. You preferred to sleep outside under the stars with _me_ using one sleeping bag than booking a hotel.”

“Enough.”

“Oh, and let’s not forget that you are desperate to leave all that money and legacy behind to become a huntress and willing to work alongside _me_ under Oz.”

“Enough!” She took her elbow back, meeting his glare evenly.

“Try a different excuse,” Qrow demanded.

She scowled, overwhelmed but too stubborn to say the truth and too prideful to escape. “You are thirteen years my senior. We are in two different stages in life.”

“Again with this?”

“Yes! You stated you want children. To marry. I cannot give that to you right now.”

“And like I said, I’m more than happy to wait. Seven years. Ten. Fifteen. I’ve been waiting to feel this, to feel what I have for you, for years. So I don’t care about having kids or getting married because while I want those things, I want you more. I want what you want.”

“Do not be a self-sacrificing fool!”

“If you knew the way I see you, knew the way I feel about you, you’d see I’m anything but a fool.” The irritation he had earlier faded and a soft smile graced his lips. “Like I said. I want you. Everything else – marriage, brats named Starling or Ava, a house in wherever – is just a bonus to you.”

“You cannot -”

“Too late,” he interrupted.  

“You do not -”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t say anything.”

“Branwen,” Winter warned, gulping down the knot in her throat.

“And I do.” 

There was a small glow in her that she could not name, but it was the same glow she felt every time he was in her arms and buried deep within her; the one that he kept fostering and fanning inside of her without trying. 

“You are a fool.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes, and you will regret this.”

This time he scoffed loudly in disbelief, “Loving you? Never.”

“You…have you even thought about – truly _thought_ about – the difficulties that this will bring to you and your family if…we get further involved?”

“Yup, and like I said, I decided you’re worth it,” he took her face in his hands. She shook her head. “You are. You’re worth everything to me,” he said sincerely, watching the tension of restraint slowly leave her but her eyes were still misty. This had been the closest he ever saw her cry. “Take a chance with me.”

“‘Take a chance’…you make it sound as if it is so easy.”

“Only because it’s harder not to take one,” he leaned down and tempered his glee as he saw a rare tear escape her. “Are you crying?”

“Of course not! Schnees do not cry,” she wiped the tear away quickly.

“That’s dumb,” he said, smirking widely now at her frown. “You’re more than your family’s name. You’re Winter. Really, you should know by now that, at least with me, you can cry and laugh and be happy and anger. You don’t need to hide.”

Another tear escaped and she wiped it away quickly, too. “Dolt.”

“Call me whatever you want. It’s not going to change a thing.”

“Are you certain?” 

“Yup.”

“Lout. Childish. Greying, old grackle.”

“Woah! I am not greying!’”

She chuckled and reached for his hand that was on her cheek, nestling deeper into the scared, coarse palm. “So? What do you say?” He asked.

“We cannot make it public for some time.”

“That’s fine.”

“I mean it as a long time. It could be more than a year depending on how strong…my father’s grip is on me.”

“Then, I have you all to myself for more than a year.” He leaned down to kiss her but she once again took a step back.

“We are public.”

“Yeah, and we’ve already kissed and yelled at each other in public,” Qrow crossed his arms over his chest.

“That does not mean we have to continue with this rogue endeavor.”

He watched her blush grow and travel down her neck. Since Row, he doesn’t have to wonder anymore how far it reached. “Well. I guess that is kind of true.” Qrow hummed loudly. “Ice Queen.”

“Yes?” she responded sharply, turning back to him after wiping her cheeks again and stiffened when he was mere centimeters away from her again.

He wrapped his hand around her waist, his lips nearly brushing hers. She stuttered his name and he watched as her eyes flutter shut when he leaned closer and kissed her. Gods, she still made bursts of warmth flutter inside of him. Qrow molded his mouth over hers, chills running through him due to the softness of her lips and the tiny whimper she made. He was tempted to taste her further, slip his tongue into the extravagance of her mouth but feared he wouldn’t be able to stop. So, he pulled away.

Winter covered her eyes with one hand and pushed him away. She inhaled and sighed, releasing the stiffness from her. Deciding that if he was willing to dive into this blindly, the least she could do was trust him and jump in with him. Still, she had to ask at least one more time to make sure, “Are you entirely sure?” 

Qrow cupped her face, kissing her solidly once more. “I am,” he answered firmly, “And you? Willing to take a chance with me?”

Winter, who never hesitated to jump in the line of danger, faltered at the truth of her feelings. “If it is with you…then yes.”

“Winter,” he called for her after a moment, twilight branching over them.

“Hm?” she hummed softly, stepping back once she felt her cheeks were dusted with pink instead of red.

“Falling in love with me…don’t try to fight it too much” he said, with an arrogant twinge in his eyes.

“Silence,” she hissed, feeling her whole body was red once again. She twisted his hand and made him bend to left, pushing him away so she could continue walking towards the restaurant. Qrow was next to her again a few seconds later, his hands brushed against hers as they walked.   

~o~o~o~o~ 

The morning light streamed harshly across Qrow's face. Blinking, he glared at the sliver of space formed between the wall and curtain, allowing the sun to peek in. It was a few minutes past five but the sunlight was determined to touch every aspect of Atlas, including the interior of his hotel room. Truly, this was another reason why he didn't like Atlas. The sun rose way too damn early in spring. 

He sat up, shivering from the coolness of the room, with the mindset of getting rid of that lone stroke of gold when he felt a shift next to him. Winter frowned up at him, her fingers intertwined with his lightly as they always did when they slept together. Sleep was tugging on her eyes. His t-shirt was loose around her shoulders, baring her collar to him. Her uniform was somewhere on the sofa. 

He leaned down to kiss her shoulder, then her cheek. "I'm going to close the curtain," he whispered. He was careful to lift the covers and slip back in after tugging the curtain shut. He smiled when she turned to him, sliding her arms up his and lying down on him. She was soft and warm from pleasant sleep. Her naked legs pressed against his. Her shirt rode up to her waist and the skin of her stomach smoothed over his. 

Winter fell back to sleep immediately. A heavy sleeper compared to him. Qrow lied there; sleep evading him to enjoy the experience of waking up to her again. He rubbed her back under her shirt, ran his hand through her hair. She smelled of the hotel's lavender and mint shampoo, but there were traces of her lily scent and him on her skin.

He didn't want last night to end, especially after she agreed to give them a real chance, to be called his just as he was hers. So, at the end of her graduation dinner, he asked her to stay the night with him. Her father was gone for a business trip, her mother was sick, and her siblings and Klein were staying the night at their uncle's. If she went back to the manor last night, she would have been home alone. So, it didn't take much to convenience her mother in allowing Winter to spend the night with a friend from the Academy. 

Last night involved them being entangled in the hotel sheets, kisses showered across their skin as they experienced those toe-curling releases more than once. He told her he loved her. She never said the words back to him. But, he knew she loved him. He knew by the manner she kissed him gently, held his hand, and how she looked softly at him. She could not say it out loud last night, and perhaps for many more nights, but he was fine with that. He already promised to wait until she was ready to take whatever next step life would offer them. So, he didn't mind to wait for those three words, either. 

For now, he was glad she was able to stay the night with him.    

Taking another deep breath, the peaceful morning silence and the steady rhythm of her heartbeat lured him to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff! And angst? Is this consider angst? Anyways, thank you all for reading! 
> 
> @ Akira_0 Thank you! The few other fics I read with Willow and Winter in it always seem to put a super negative, strain relationship between them. And I just wanted the relationship between Winter and Willow in my fic to be bittersweet and somber. All of them are victims of Jacque, and I wanted to explore the different outcome from the trauma they're going through and how it affects their relations with one another. Yo. I love writing Qrow and Ironwood's interaction because it seriously always feels like it's between a strict, caring father and his daughter's delinquent boyfriend. 
> 
> @ Natasha Hello! Thank you for reading and leaving a comment! Hm...I saw the prompt and I think I am going to participate. But, I am debating between doing an AU one-shot fics, doing a follow-up post-canon fic for "If I Believed", doing a post-fic of "Chance Meeting" but have it be a pre-fic of "If I Believed," or doing the prompts for this fic. Do you have a preference? Haha
> 
> @ Theresivy So glad you're happy! I'm also happy you're reading my nonsense, too! I honestly don't know how more chapters until this end. I have three/four years of Winter being in the military filler before the famous fight between her and Qrow from vol. 3. So yes, please expect more. OTL
> 
> Sneak Peek:
> 
> “Did you get the parakeet?”
> 
> “No,” she pulled the bird key chain out. Pleased at his scowl and drawn eyebrows. “It seems I have the misfortunate in getting a crow.”
> 
> Qrow snorted, “You look damn happy about that though.”


	28. Keychain

“Would you like us to deliver them, Miss Schnee?” The sale clerk asked placing the expensive tie wrapped in tissue paper in an elegant black shopping bag alongside the oxford shoes. 

“Yes, please.” Winter accepted her Schnee credit card back and placed her wallet away.  She confirmed the address before taking the receipt and leaving the counter. As she stopped to look at the belts, her scroll began to ring. “Winter Schnee speaking.”

“Where are you?”

Winter hanged up and went back to looking at the belts when her scroll rang a second time. She huffed, slightly amused, and answered. This time, she said nothing as Qrow barked his greeting properly. 

“Hello,” she responded back and drifted over to the handkerchiefs. “See? A proper greeting is not hard to make.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Where are you?” Qrow asked impatiently. “I just got out of my meeting with Jimmy and want to leave before he conveniences Ozpin to send me on another mission.”

 “I am about to leave Carnation.”

“That high-end men’s store in downtown.”

“Yes,” she paused at a pair of gloves; liking the material she imagined it would look nice on Qrow.

“What are you doing there? Buying a gift for me? I look good in red and black.” 

“Do you? I have never noticed. As for what I am doing here, I guess you can say I am getting a gift for a suitor of mine,” she joked dryly, deciding to purchase the gloves for him. Many times during winter he had to stuff his hands in his pocket due to forgetting his gloves. She perked an eyebrow at hearing a crash on the other end of the call. She wondered if he stumbled over something.

“Winter,” he grounded out, not pleased at all with her teasing.

“Calm your feathers, you brisk old bird.” 

“Old?” He growled.

“I was simply purchasing a father’s day gift.”

“Ah, it’s coming up, isn’t it?”

“This Monday,” Winter went back to the counter, getting in line behind three other customers. “There is a café near here called Honey Spoon – they have a pastry there I think you would like. Shall we meet there?”

“Honey Spoon?”

“Yes.”

“Sure, I’ll be there in fifteen.”

They said their goodbyes and Winter was at the counter with the same woman from before. She paid for the gloves using the money she earned on missions and asked the woman to simply wrap them in tissue paper. She planned to give it to Qrow right away, after all. After paying, she pulled the hood of her raincoat over her head and strolled to the café as slowly as she could. Stopping to gaze at the clothing items in window shops as she wondered what to get Klein. 

Perhaps a new pair of shoes?

A watch? 

She arrived at the Honey Spoon before Qrow and ordered their drinks and a honey cake to share. She was sipping on her black tea when Qrow walked in. It’s been a little more than a week since they agreed to date and the newness was still there for Winter. There was a pause between them, a pause that was short for Qrow, only a few measly seconds, who grinned and gave Winter a lingering kiss.

She knew this kiss. 

It was one where he wanted more than a taste but tried to settle for a small, chaste kiss. It usually never panned out that way since it always deepened with his hand in her hair and his tongue demanding entrance to her mouth. Quickly, Winter pulled away after long seconds with an embarrassed glare, covering her lips with a poised hand. Qrow would have frown at his kiss being cut short but, instead, chuckled as her cheeks and ears flared red. 

“Hey there, Snow Queen,” he moved his seat next to her and sat down, reaching for his cup of coffee that was thankfully still warm.

Inhaling softly to collect herself, she pushed the honey pot and small glass container of milk for his coffee towards him. “Hello.”

He fixed his coffee, stealing a sip of her drink before taking a taste of his. “Not bad.” He tugged her seat closer to him, smirking at her frown. “Hi,” he wagged his eyebrows and leaned closer. She rolled her eyes but he saw the tinge of amusement there. “How you doing?”

She pushed his face away gently. “Well.  And you? How have you been?”

“Better now that I’m with you,” he grabbed her hand and kissed the inner wrist, taking a long inhale of her perfume.

Winter pulled away again, eyes narrowing only slightly. “Flirtatious as always, I see.”

“Just wanted to make sure I can still make you blush,” he tugged her chair closer to him again. “Seems like I still can.”

She ignored his comment and eyed him. “Have you been eating?”

“Yup.”

“Have you been eating well?” She rephrased the question and he gave a shrug.

“If you’d count microwaved dinner as eating well, then yes.”

She did not.

“I do not expect you to cook every day, but at least once a week you should make soup, fish with vegetables, or a nice risotto,” she reprimanded lightly.

“Don’t want to.”

“Qrow.”

“You’re not there to eat it with me. So, what’s the point?”

“Your health. That is the point.” Winter set her cup of tea down with a frown. They had this argument last time they spoke. “You have to take care of yourself with or without me there. Cook dinner for your nieces. I am sure they would appreciate that.”

“Fine. I will. But, how about this? Once a week, we schedule a day where we video chat and cook together? That way you’re happy and I’m happy.”

“Are you forgetting I have cooks at the Manor?” 

“Fine, I’ll cook and you keep me company.”

Winter hummed to cover her chuckle, “If you are that lonely and want me to video chat with you, you can simply say it, you know.” 

“Fine. I’m lonely and I want you to video chat me.” As always, he was blunt and she blushed faintly. He thought she would have gotten used to his teasing remarks by now, but then again, this was Winter. She blushed easily at anything remotely affectionate. He looked at her expectedly and she agreed to his proposal. Pleased, he drank from his coffee. The honey tasted good.

“How was your meeting?” She asked.

“Eh, same old same old.”

“So, informal yelling and insults?”

“Yup.”

Winter gave him a blank look but said nothing. Taking another sip of her drink, she passed him a fork. “Have a taste.” Qrow looked at the fork then at Winter, shrugging his shoulders he went for another kiss which she blocked with the café’s menu.  “The cake, you grackle.”

“I’d rather have your cakes, Honey.”

“I am quite aware and you are not funny.”

It was only after he took a bite of the honey cake that Winter took a bite. The cake was good, a subtle sweetness that was fulfilling but not overwhelming. As nice as the cake tasted, Qrow was more content with the pleased look Winter made when she took a bite of the cake. He bet the cake tasted better on her lips.

They talked a bit more. Catching up since they have last seen each other despite sending messages almost every other day. Winter told him of her discussion about being a huntress with Ozpin and how the paperwork was coming together. Ironwood wasn’t too pleased, but respected Winter’s decision. Something Qrow was not surprised in hearing. Qrow told her he was going to start teaching at Signal again. His missions under Ozpin were dying down slightly, and he had enough free time to be a professor again.

She was happy for him. Even if he said he was a horrible teacher, Winter felt the opposite. He was patient with teenagers and was good at explaining things. She also knew he liked teaching. She wished him well after flicking his forehead when he said he would be happy to review their lessons from their mission in Row.

When they were leaving the café, Winter noticed him stuffing his hands in his pockets. Deciding now would be a good time to give him his gift; she reached into her cross-bag and presented him with the gloves wrapped in white tissue paper. “Here.”

“What’s this?”

“A gift for a suitor of mine,” she responded back.

He snorted, a smirk on his lips. “I guess you can call me that.” He tore the paper off and huffed in amusement at the black leather gloves. As always, her gifts were practical. He slipped one on, feeling the fine fabric inside and the warmth beginning to circulate. He was thankful for the gift. He lost his gloves early last autumn and refused to buy a new set. 

“Do they fit?” She asked, slipping the other glove on and seeing the tips of the glove wilt. Winter had nice, long fingers, but they were still smaller compared to his.

“Yup,” he wiggled his gloved hand at her. “Like a glove.”

She gave him an unimpressed look and took the glove off her hand. “Do you like them?”

“How could I not? You would think being mid-spring your frigid of a city would get the memo to get at least a bit warm. At least now my hands won’t turn blue and fall off.”

“You could have simply answered with a ‘yes.’” 

“Yeah, I like them. Thanks.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, snickering at her frown yet again. “What did you get your pops?” 

“A pair of shoes and a tie,” she said offhandedly as if it did not matter. “They will count as presents from my siblings and I. What I am having difficulties in is finding a gift for Klein.” 

“Your nanny?” 

“My butler,” Winter corrected.

“Who basically raised you and your siblings, right?”

“Yes.” 

“So, your nanny.”

“Qrow.”

 “So? What are you thinking about getting your caretaker?”

Winter gave him a look. “I placed an order for strudel at his favorite bakery. Weiss and Whitley are going to bake him a cake. All that is left is to find a nice gift for him. Do you receive gifts from your nieces?”

“Yup. I have a box full of homemade cards and ties I don’t really wear.”

“Shame about the ties. You look quite nice in them.”

“What is this? Is Miss Snow Queen actually giving me a compliment?” He slipped an arm around her waist, “Are you flirting with me?” 

“Behave,” she said exasperatedly. 

“I will if you spend the night with me.”

“Wha-Qrow.”

“I want to wake up next to you again.”

“I…if I am not at the manor by ten Klein will throw a fit.”

“Tell him you’re at a friend’s.”

“Klein knows I do not have any.”

Qrow laughed, “We need to get you some friends, then.”

“Yes. Yes. I have been told this numerous time by my mother, Whitely, Klein, and Headmaster Ironwood.” She slipped out of his grasp, smoothing her coat.

“Anyone else?”

“Yes. You.”

 “Guess so. But, eh, who am I to judge. My only friend is Tai and he’s family.”

“What of…Peter and – what was it? – Oobleck? They are professor friends of yours at Beacon, no?” 

“Good memory. But see, while they’re friends, they’re also professor friends of mine. So, they’re co-workers.”

“So, it appears you need friends, too.”

“Yeah, but I have you.”

“Trying to get into my good favors?”

“Always,” he enclosed his hand over hers that was tucked in the crook of his elbow. “Is it working? I have a few more lines I can throw at you in case it’s not.”

 “Please, refrain yourself.”

“Hey,” he brushed his hand on her cheek fleetingly, a tease of the full sensation, and grinned. “Since you can’t stay the night, how about we get some takeout and go back to my room.”

“Qrow-”

“I’ll even walk you home at the end of the night. I…just want to feel you.” 

After a moment, she agreed to it with pink ears and a stern expression. He stole another kiss from her, delighted once again by her embarrassed frown and furrowed eyebrows. Nevertheless, she walked by his side, listening to his rambling about a new TV show he started to watch. They passed a theater and he was going to suggest buying tickets to a show for Klein, she mentioned once her nanny liked watching plays, when she stopped and tugged on his sleeve. Qrow turned to her, seeing she was standing in front of a toy vending machine. 

“Do you have five liens?” She asked. 

“Five liens?”

Winter bent down to look at the vending machine. There were nine sections and each section had different sets of toys inside; some were of cartoons while others had grimm, famous huntsmen, or weapons. The section Winter was looking at were bird key rings. There was a yellow parakeet and a blue one, orange peaked finch, a long-necked swan, a tiny hummingbird, and a red robin. 

"You really like birds, don’t you?”

She perked an eyebrow at him, “I think they are charming.

"Oh? This time, you are flirting with me," he snickered. "Which one do you want?"

"I want to try my luck and see if I can get the parakeet.”

Qrow bent down too. “Why the parakeet?”

“For my nineteenth birthday, my father purchased a blue parakeet for me and I was immensely offended. The bird was in a gold cage and I took it as a subtle message of what he was expecting from me. So, I set her free,” she huffed at her own actions but she smiled at the toy parakeet. “I named her Greda. She still lives in the garden. It is embarrassing to think of it now. I feel I was being overly dramatic.” 

Qrow pulled five liens out from his wallet, “Maybe. But it's cute."

"No, it is not."

"Sure it is. Here are your five liens," he passed them to her and quickly gave her a kiss onto her cheek. She paused to glare at him but thanked him nevertheless for the five liens. She slipped it into the vending machine and cranked the knob until a capsule rattled out. She grabbed it, observing the clear ball with a black color top. She and Qrow resumed walking as she popped it open and blinked at the bird inside. Her laugh was soft but still a rare sound that Qrow turned to her sharply.

“Did you get the parakeet?” 

“No,” she pulled the bird key chain out. Pleased at his scowl and drawn eyebrows. “It seems I have the misfortunate in getting a crow.”

Qrow snorted, “You look damn happy about that though.”

She hummed, fixing the bird key chain around her house key. “Tell me. Do you think this was a coincidence or, perhaps, luck?”

“You’re reading in to it too much,” he said, but smiled when she slipped her hand around his elbow again as they continued down the street.

“Perhaps, but look. I now have you wherever I go.”

“You always have me.”

“Oh,” her steps slowed slightly and she smiled up at him, “I suppose that _was_ a bit charming of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Yay! Thank you all for reading!
> 
> @ highwind91 No worries! I am just glad you were able to enjoy the last few chapters! c: I am planning angst and it will punch you with a smile and tears in its eyes. 
> 
> @ Haley_HI Please do not apologize! I am just thankful I have gotten so many comments from you! I really do appreciate it. Ah, I'm glad you're excited by another possible Qrowin fic and I really want to do one. I just hope I will have the time. ;A; 
> 
> @ Natasha I will aim to do a post-"If I Believe" fic. I have loads ideas about how to go around it; I hope I can make it happen. And, thank you for reading and for liking my version of feely-touchy Qrow. I think out of the both of them, he's the more affectionate one. I hope you enjoyed this week's slice-of-life, fluffy chapter. 
> 
> @ Theresivy Same. I just want it canon or hints of them being canon. They are the only ship I sincerely ship in RWBY. Goodness, you're so sweet! ;v; Thank you for the compliments and for simply liking the fic enough to read it and leave a comment. I don't really have social media counts. I mostly like lurk around. hehe Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> @ Akira_0 I headcanon Winter as a reflection of a tsundere. Haha I hope to, later on, grow her character so that while she continues to be a tsundere, she becomes more accustom to affection and love. In other words, she would be less shy and blushy, and Qrow will then begin to up his flirting game to everyone's annoyance because wtf, they're already dating. Haha Oh, yes, I am outlining and debating their breakup. It hurts my heart so I hope your heart will hurt, too, when that chapter is published. 
> 
> Sneak peek to the next chapter (warning, it's a smutty one):
> 
> “So, when you’re tipsy you’ll just say what’s on your mind.”
> 
> “What makes you say that?”
> 
> “Well, you loudly told little Ginger downstairs you weren’t single and pointed at me.”
> 
> “He asked if I was and I answered. Though, pointing was rude,” she sighed.
> 
> “Hey. I’m not complaining,” he steadied her again by wrapping his arm around her waist. “Saying I’m yours is a total turn on for me.”


	29. Wine Stained Blush

Qrow stifled his laugh until he and Winter were in the elevator before it burst out. This was not what he was expecting when he arrived in Atlas this morning. Catching an early morning meeting with Ironwood and Ozpin, sure. That was planned. Getting lunch with Winter was also planned. Her getting tipsy on one glass of white wine, however, was not.

The afternoon was nice and warm. Winter wore a sundress with her hair in a loose, high bun. When they arrived at the restaurant the host thought they were from two different parties. Winter attempted to cover her laugh but her amusement escaped through her grin. They ordered their meals and the waiter pushed that a nice white wine would go great with the roasted chicken they ordered. So, they did. At the end of the meal with their cups empty, Qrow noticed the pink in her cheeks.

“This is not remotely funny,” Winter frowned up at him, demanding to be put down after his laughter got a little too loud. 

“Of course it is!” He snickered, setting her down on her feet. Sliding his arm from under her knees but he kept his other arm around her shoulder. “Never guessed you’re a light-weight.”

Winter snorted, less delicately than normal, and pushed him away but stumbled over her feet instead. He steadied her despite her glare. “Light-weight?” She huffed, almost offended. She let him led her out of the elevator towards his hotel room. “That cup of wine had an alcohol parentage of…of thirty. That is quite high and, unlike you...Branwen, I rarely drink.” 

“So, you’re saying you’re drunk.” 

“Please. I am not irresponsible or,” she finally took her hand back from his grip, “or delusion. I can clearly state while I may not be sober, I am also not drunk, I am – oh, what was that word again?”

“Tipsy.”

“Yes,” she agreed confidently. 

“So, when you’re tipsy you’ll just say what’s on your mind.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, you loudly told little Ginger downstairs you weren’t single and pointed at me.”

“He asked if I was and I answered. Though, pointing was rude,” she sighed.

“Hey. I’m not complaining,” he steadied her again by wrapping his arm around her waist. “Saying I’m yours is a total turn on for me.”

“Yes. Yes. I can see that from that…pleased, arrogant expression on your face.”

“You also called me handsome.” 

“Simply because you had your hair pushed back,” she explained with a swing of her hand.

He pulled her into his hotel room, “What else do you think of me?”

“Annoying,” she said, smirking at his frown and pulling away to take her heels off.  

“Take a seat. I’ll get you a glass of water.”

“No, thank you.”

“It wasn’t a question. I can’t send you home buzzed,” he said, reaching for a glass in the small kitchenette. “If I did, imagine the impression I’ll be leaving on your folks.”

“They will be too taken aback by your appearance to make one.”

Qrow shot her a glare but sighed as he watched her stretch and look around the room. Curiously rummaging through the empty drawers and closet of the hotel room. He was surprised that she was this expressive when she was under the influence. Her eyes were a little more mischievous than normal and he was able to see every passing emotion on her face. Her hand gestures were more animated, waving here and there as another mean to communicate her point. Normally, it takes him five tries to get her to laugh but with one bad joke after a glass of wine, she laughed as if he was a world-famous comedian.

It was surprising but welcoming.

She was flipping through one of the hotel books when she felt him press the cold glass of water against her cheek. “Qrow!”

“Drink,” he said, taking the book from her hand and pushing the drink in its place. Winter blinked at the drink and obediently took a sip before smoothly setting it on the television stand. “Winter, don’t be –”

“I want to dance,” she reached up to loosely wrap her arm around his shoulder and slipped her hand in his, stepping close to lie on her head on his chest.

“There’s no music and I can’t dance,” he said but his hand still found its place on her waist. He squeezed her hand.

“I can teach you,” she said, humming a tune and pressing just a little close as they gently sway.

“If you do, the only person you’ll be allowed to dance with will be me.”

“Oh? How about my brother?" 

“He’s fine.”

“Klein?”

“He’s fine, too.”

“Your brother?”

“Tai? Yeah. Sure. Fine. But one dance and there needs to be a foot of space between you two,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

“You are absurd.”

“Whose fault is that?”

She ignored him and began to sing softly. Her voice was like frost, rising into the air and making him shiver from its strength and grace. She stopped mid-chorus to kiss him lightly, her fingers trailing on his jaw. Warmth ruptured through him. He went to deepen the kiss but she playfully pulled away with an impish smile before he pressed his lips heavily against hers.  

“Qrow,” she breathed out, kissing his cheek sweetly. They stopped dancing. “I like you.”

“I would hope so,” he kissed her again, taking the chance to grab his scroll from his back pocket.

“Do not be arrogant.”

“I’m not. I’m just being honest.”

“Not cute,” she pulled at his cheek in annoyance. “But I like that about you, too, I suppose.”

“Yeah?"

“Yes. I, surprisingly, also think you are funny,” she went on to say between their kisses.

“Really?” He grinned, “I rarely get you to laugh.”

“That does not mean I do not think you are funny,” she reprimanded, pressing a kiss to his cheek, not noticing him taking a photo of them. “Also, if I laughed at everything you say, it will only inflate your ego.”

He chuckled, looking at the photo on his scroll. “Like your ego isn’t big.”

“Oh, it is but I am also good at hiding it unlike you.”

“Hey, Snow Queen,” he placed his scroll on the counter for now. 

“Hm?” 

“I love you, too.” He bent to kiss her. His tongue passed her lips when she gasped and made its home in the wet, heat of her mouth. She tasted like the wine they had and she moaned when their tongue touched and curled around each other. His hand was lost in her hair, keeping her in place until they parted for oxygen. 

“Qrow….”

“What else do you love about me?” He asked in a soft pant, a haughty glint to his gaze as he went to kiss her again but pulled away, just as she did earlier, and laughed at her pout. 

“I would say I love how kind you are but your teasing is making me reconsider.”

“It’s just payback for your teasing,” he coyly brushed his lips above hers and moved, again, before she could kiss him fully.

“Branwen.”

“See? I’m not kind.”

“You are,” she stated, making lazy circles on the back of his neck while she pressed flutters of kisses to his jaw. “And you started it.”

“Whoa. I did not.”

“Yes, you did. You had your hand under my dress and….” She trailed off, blushing at the implication.

“And what?” He asked, grinning at her halfhearted smack on his back. “I just did that because you kept giving me your ‘please, fuck me’ eyes.” Another smack on his back. “And biting your lip and let’s not forget you leaning over far enough that I could see down your dress.”

“That was an accident!”

“Oh, but the eyes and lip-biting were not?” He hid his smile in her hair, grasping her waist tightly. “I’m surprised though. Never thought you’d be a flirty and sentimental kind of drunk.”

Again, she pulled at his cheek slightly in annoyance, “Grackle.”

“Yeah. Yeah.”

She settled her head on his chest. Without her heels, she was a full head shorter than him. But this was nice, too. She could hear his heart beating. The clam rhythm was hypnotizing. He smelled agreeable. Sandalwood and the spiced warmth of whiskey, she wondered when that smell became a comfort for her.  

“So? Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?”

“Nothing is bothering me.”

“It’s all over your face,” he went to lie down on his bed, dragging her next to him. “You can hide from others, but not me.”

She played with the cuff of his shirt, leaning into the kiss he pressed against her forehead. “I have to attend a dinner with one of Father’s colleagues.”

Qrow sat up quickly with a scowl, “Winter-”

“And if I do not go, he will send Weiss in my place. ”

“She’s fourteen!”

“That is why I am going to attend.”

He deflated and sighed, “Really. What a shitty dad.” He glanced over to her, her cheeks still pink from the wine but she now had a pensive frown. “Hey. If you’re worried that I’m mad, I’m not.” She glanced at him and perked an eyebrow. “Fine. I’m mad at your dad but not at you.”

Winter snorted, “Either way I do not care if you are since this is about my sister and not you.”

Qrow felt a twitch on his forehead and leaned over her, “Are you trying to pick a fight when I’m trying to be a reasonable boyfriend?”

“Of course not since you have no reason to be upset in the first place,” she said, ignoring his angry sputter. “After all, when it comes to romantic partners, my head is overflowing with thoughts of you that no one else can even remotely get close.”

Again, he deflated, “aren’t you honest.”

“Oh? Did I make you blush?”

“You wish.”

She chuckled, turning her head to kiss his wrist that was next to her head; “Nevertheless, I would like to apologize in advance for any discomfort this may cause for you.”

“Just…don’t stay out too late.”

“Of course.”

“And call me as soon as you’re home.”

“I will.”

“He can’t touch you, at all.”

She rolled her eyes, “You are being ridiculous now.”

“Don’t care. And if he does or even thinks about touching you, I’m feeding him to a Sphinx. Also, send me a picture of you wearing the black lingerie I got you.”

“Yes, Ye-” she stopped and turned to glare at his smirk. “Degenerate,” she flicked his forehead but laughed soon after, pulling him down to kiss him lightly, “I truly did miss you.”

He grinned, leaning down to kiss her again, a little deeper and sensual.  “Sentimental drunk,” he said, the words trailing over her posed lips.

She huffed and grabbed the hand on her waist, smoothing it down until it curved into her inner thigh. “I _missed_ you,” she said again, a little more urgently.

“Flirty drunk,” his tongue got heavy but his smirk grew, “Tell me. Have you’ve been thinking of _this_ since I got here? Or since I left? Or was it last night when I said I wanted to bend you over the -?”

“Cease your talking or else I will leave.”

He eagerly allowed her to tug him towards her but caught himself before she could kiss him, “Not a problem, but first, you have to tell me what you love about my body.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Tell me,” he said, tapping his fingers on her waist playfully. “I’m waiting.”

“When your vocal cords are not making a sound.”

“Winter,” he frowned, wanting her to know that he was undeterred but he kept glancing from her sharp glaze to her neck, following the curve lines from her breasts, to the slope of her waist and her shapely hips.

“No good?”

“No,” he grinned, tracing his thumb over her wrist, “try again.” Instead of giving him an answer she told him she was not wearing panties. “What?” His eyes shot down, willing the pale fabric of her sundress to become transparent.

No.

He was strong.

Focused.

But the urge to tease her was a losing battle as he began to image pushing the skirt of her dress and stare at the plump lips between her thighs. The taste of her on his tongue, her heat gripping him as he moved within her.

“It is like you said. I have been thinking about _this_ since you got here,” she said, spreading her thighs slowly, feeling Qrow’s growing length press against her.  “So, I ensured to dress for the occasion. Thinking about how easily I could climb on your lap and -”

He leaned forward hastily with the intention to kiss her before her pillow talk made him blow, but she leaned back coyly.

“Oh? Now you are in a hurry?”

He gave a curt laugh, ducking to kiss her neck “You expect me not to be?” 

“Perhaps,” she closed her eyes. His lips were pressing up to her lips, kissing her until she was breathless. She smoothed her hands over his shoulders to undo the button of his shirt. The skin of his back was hot under her hand as she pushed his shift off. She moaned quietly, shivering when his own fingers pulled her zipper down and he spread his hand down her bare back.

He cursed at the lack of her bra. “Had this all planned out, didn’t you?”

“Almost,” she lifted her hips up, allowing him to tug her dress down. “Becoming slightly inebriated was not part of it.”

“I would have never guessed,” He chuckled, cursing his praise once more when he saw that she was indeed pantyless. “If you told me the moment we met up you were dress like this, we would’ve skipped over lunch.”

“Which is why I waited,” she kissed his cheek, “I really was hungry.”

He laughed loudly, not surprised about her priority on eating. Sitting up to undo his pants, he appreciated the view of Winter naked underneath him. He loved the contrast of her eyes from her pale complexion. The large, jagged scar on her hip; honestly, her hips in general, they were almost comically shapely and were more than ample enough to grasp onto securely. He imaged she filled out quickly over a summer due to the lightening of stretch marks on them and her thighs. He loved to lash those marks with his tongue, too.

Then, there was the delicate, single beauty mark on the inner left side of her breast. The dusty pink color of her nipples was tantalizing but her lips, that were the same pink color, would always get him hard. During the month they were apart after Row, he lost count on the number of times his cock would swell at the thought of her lips. Plush. Soft. Amazingly inviting. Desperate for Winter’s touch, his imagination would conjure the memories of her kisses, the long and deep ones would shoot straight to his groin, and the ghost of her lips on his shoulder, peppering down would make his nights long and torturous. 

He decided then and there he wanted to die being suffocated by her kiss.

Or between her thighs. 

Both sets of lips would make a blissful end.

Winter hit his shoulders, “your thoughts are clearly written on your face.”

He snorted and kicked his pants and boxers off, “Just thinking about how I’m going to get you off.”

This time she smacked his back before he kissed her again. The sensation of their bodies pressing against one another made her shiver and toes curl. Her nipples stiffened when he suckled on her neck. Nails digging into him as he ground into her, his grin present when he felt how hot and wet she was. Truly, nothing more could boost his ego like this than knowing he could make her this aroused.

Qrow captured a nipple between his lips, lapping at it heavily and teething it until she arched her back. Her mewls and moans encouraging, and he gave another pushed between her thighs. His entire length was at full attention, sliding against her entirely, the head of his cock rubbing against her clit.

“Stop teasing,” she demanded, lifting her hips to feel more of his length.

“Hard not to,” he grasped her hips and continued down, kissing and licking the jagged scar there. “You make the sexiest sounds when you’re frustrated.”

“Maybe I should leave,” she grumbled but it quickly was overshadowed by a moan when he grasped the backside of her knees and pushed her legs up, attaching his mouth to her heat. Lush and plump, he lapped at her drench cunt and circled her clit lazily. Knowing he got her undivided attention, he pushed his head forward and let her legs down over his shoulders.

He bit the side of her thighs gently, leaving his marks there and at the junction of her thigh and hips. He grasped her tightly; stilling her pleasure-induced jerks to leave a hickey on top of her pelvis. He quelled his snickering, knowing she would scold him tomorrow when it bruised.

Her fingers were in his hair, holding onto him as her hips lifted to meet his mouth and he lapped at her again. Their bodies heating up for different reasons; hers in anticipation of her orgasm and him in the anticipation of pushing his cock into her. For now, he slipped a finger in her and curled it, pumping it methodically. Her gasps were becoming deeper, her moans a little higher, and her juices kept flew out of her to his waiting tongue, enticing him to forgo giving her an orgasm and shoving his length in her.

But her whimper of being close urged him to keep polishing the jewel of her clit and he was rewarded with his name in her sophisticated voice. He tightened his hold on her hips, tugging her closer to drink from her. He slid his tongue over her gently, easing her down and kissed her lower lips lazily, then trailed his mouth up to her body.

“Good?” He asked, feeling her hum of approval through their kiss. He tapped his finger against her lips, and she licked his fingers clean easily. He went back to lathering her neck with his rough lips, pushing his length against her slit. His grunts mingled with her soft gasps, her thighs widening to feel him closer.

She turned his head to kiss him before lying on her stomach, gripping the sheet next to her torso and drawing her knees up slightly. Her cheeks red at the position that asked for something rougher, “You leave tomorrow morning but I would like to have a lingering reminder of you for the next few days.” 

“Oh?” He trailed his hand down her back, gripping her hips and pulling her closer to his groin. “You want to feel sore for the next few days?”

“Yes.” 

“Thighs aching when you try to stand up?”

“Y-yes.”

“How about bruises on your -”

Cheeks a cheery red, Winter grabbed one of the pillows on the bed and swung it at his head, “Yes, you grackle!”

He laughed deeply, catching the pillow and throwing it behind him. “Just checking,” he teased, groping her thighs and then drawing her fleshy lower lips apart, revealing her glistening entrance. Fuck, it was pretty. His cock twitched in agreement. Licking his lips, he kissed the middle of her back before sitting up and spreading her thighs further apart.

It had been two weeks since they last had each other like this, and they were still in the stage where they longed and craved for each other constantly and the separation felt longer than two measly weeks. The head of his cock tapped at her entrance, and the jolt her hips made and the trembling on her heat hypnotized him. Pushing into her, he hissed his appreciation of her delectable heat and grunted his praise into her ear.

Winter moaned, body arching and trembling. The sensation must have been too much due to her shifting forward. Qrow dragged her back to him, sliding deeper in her so easily, anchoring her to his hips with his hand on her waist. “How do you feel?” he asked, his hands digging into her, his lips kissing her shoulders before sitting up and thrusting into her. “Win?”

“Overwhelmed,” she gasped, moaning at the harsh speed. “It…it is so good. Y-you feel so good.”

“Honest drunk,” he smirked and pounded harder, the sound of their skins hitting each other was almost comedic but he was obsessed with it. He grabbed her arm and pulled her up until she was bracing herself on her forearm, angling her body just so and the mouth-watering spot in her was being touched with each forceful thrust of his cock. 

Qrow let his free hand wander over her body, following the curve of her upper back down to her waist and hips, he took hold of the ample flesh of her ass and gave it a good, stratifying slap. She made a small whimper, her cunt tightening over him and she pushed back into him. He let out a low growl, completely devoted to the manner she met his movements and moved firmer against her, rougher, and her cries of pleasure begged him to continue. 

Her hair still in its bun was slowly unraveling with every jostle of his body meeting hers. His name intermingled with her moans and cries, her hand tightening on the bed sheets, and it was such a sight. Pride filled him and so did greed, making a dangerous concoction when mixed with the love he felt for her.

“You want to cum?”

“Yes,” she gasped.

Qrow leaned down until his chest brushed against her back, his hand snaking down between her thighs to dig into her inner thigh. He pushed into her violently, fast and demanding, not giving her a moment to take a full breath. His breath was hot on her neck, his legs pressed snug against hers. She was overheating, tears sprang from her when her orgasm rocked her. She moaned and whimpered into the bed. Her hand interlaced with his and legs quivered. 

Qrow bathed her in kisses and compliments, slowing his strokes with each clench of her orgasm to enjoy her falling apart. Her grip on his cock was making him cross-eyed and was utterly enticing, a deep throb that left her body and entered his.

He was sure it wasn’t possible but he felt harder and pulled out before he could come undone. Giving them a moment to breathe and cool down. Her eyes fluttered open and she turned slowly, sighing a moan from the ache she already felt. Their foreheads touched and the dopey smile he gave her made her exhale a small laugh. 

The urgency he felt ebbed away, replaced with a need to make this last. Her fingers trailed his jaw, along the edge of his scruff. Her gaze met his and endless sentiments crossed between them. He captured the dazed sound of her laugh with his lips next. She shifted her legs to accommodate him between her thighs again. “Already want more?” He asked, suckling the side of her neck.

Her fingers ran through his hair. “I enjoy the ridiculous, egotistical expressions you have.” 

“What?”

“I am answering your question from earlier,” she said readily, kissing the corner of his lips. “I like how steady your gaze is and the color of your eyes. Your posture is horrible but I do love the confidence you somehow exude. It is probably why I called out to you that day. Your presence is also soothing. Your hands are usually warmer compared to mine and the texture of your palms feel pleasant on my skin. The scar on your back, the one you got on your first solo mission, I like tracing it with my fingers.”

“I noticed,” he said, lying there listening to her ramble on a little more. “You’re a talkative drunk, too, aren’t you?”

“Perhaps,” she said, sliding her hands up his arms and pulled him close. “I do think it is nice to say what I adore about you out loud for once. Especially to you.”

She tugged so easily at his heart without realizing it. Years of being told he was hated because of his semblance and scared of hurting others, Winter saw passed all of that. Without even giving a second glance to what _he_ could bring to her life.  “Win.”

“Yes?” she whimpered softly, feeling him still hard and pushing against her again.

“I feel at peace around you, too.”

She kissed him and he slid into her slowly, rebuilding his pleasure with the steady rhyme of their bodies. Slow and gentle, he deepened the kiss. His hand holding her hips against his and the other buried in the sheets next to her head. The tender movements contrasted so much from before, but Winter doesn’t complain. It felt good.

She was able to kiss him freely now. Lingering kisses on his jaw and neck. The course hair of his beard rubbed her shoulder but she absolutely revered in it. She distracted him with a heated kiss, her tongue pushing into his mouth and his groan, loud and approving, entered hers. He stopped to meet the demand of her lips, welcoming every shudder that passed through him because of her.

He pulled out slowly, his tip resting at her entrance and he pushed in again. He went as deep as he could, cursing at how tightly she was wrapped around his cock. He told her as much against her cheek, kissing her sloppily before expressing more about how good she felt.

“Qrow,” she pushed her forehead against his, her long lashes casting a shadow, “I am close again.”

“Yeah?”

She looked up to him, squirming at how heated his gaze was as he kept pushing into her, his fingers imprinted on her thigh. Gods, she could only imagine how wanton she looked for him to have such a conceited expression. Still, she kissed his cheek softly, “Yes.”

“Good,” he picked up his pace, “Me too.”

Qrow lifted her hips up slightly to get an earth-shattering angle, watching her devotedly as her moans and whimpers got louder and desperate. She tightened her hold around his shoulders, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. Everything was getting too hot again.

“Yes,” she gasped breathlessly, rising to the cusp of the edge, “yes.”

Qrow hunched over her, his mouth on her neck leaving a mark that he knew would get him a scolding from her, and rutted faster. Pounding harder. Every ripple of her skin was a blessing. His hands attached to her hips to keep her close as the sped began to knock the headboard against the wall again. She gave a heavy groan, her body arched into him, and she came undone for a third time. 

“Fuck, yes,” Qrow growled into her neck. His fingers were biting now. His thrusts were shorter but stronger. Every wave that came from her washed over him until he snapped. He pushed into her, attached his hips to hers, and came. “Win,” he grunted, “fuck, you’re so good. You’re so….”

There was that pleasant stinging on his back and his legs weakening from bliss. His mouth was occupied with hers again as they came down from their high. Qrow trailed his hands up her sides, panting lightly as her gaze met his. He grinned and began to slowly pull out of her. She sighed in good humor, after weeks in Row, she knew Qrow’s favorite part after having sex was seeing his cum slip from her.

It was slightly embarrassing for her but he found it enticing and primal. Qrow sat up and pushed one of her legs to the side softly, pulling one lower lip to see his essence pour from her opening. He kissed her knee in approval.

“You look idiotic,” she said.

“But still handsome?”

She huffed with a small, tired smile. “I suppose.”

Less than an hour later, Winter blinked to the sinking sun on the Atlas city scape. She frowned at the light fog in her head from the single glass of wine she had. Truly, she was an embarrassing lightweight when it came to alcohol. She took in the room, the bland hotel walls, the typical hotel furniture, and atrocious carpet. The thin hotel sheet was scratchy, not smooth like the cotton fitted over her bed.

However, the room was pleasant because she felt Qrow’s warm body pressed behind her, his arm thrown over her waist and his snores hitting the back of her head. She shifted to her back and stiffened her chuckle at his open mouth. The urge to tease him, pull on his cheek or scrunch his eyebrows together, were quelled to instead grab the arm thrown across of her and remove it. She paused to kiss his knuckles gently before sitting up and stretching.

She had to go to the Manor in an hour or so.

Where were her clothes?

She heard Qrow mumble and she waited to see if it would develop to a night terror. Instead, he inhaled and stretched out. His fingers trailed her thighs. Prior to the glass of wine, they had a day plan out. They were going to take a walk in the botanical gardens – her idea – and watch a movie afterward – his idea. But, she wasn’t bitter about how the day played out. From the look on Qrow’s face, he needed to rest.

He had a worn frown and bags under his eyes.

He needed a nap. 

So, while they did not exactly relaxed when they arrived, she hoped he destress from whatever was happening through the pleasure he obliviously experienced. She brushed his bangs to the side and kissed his forehead, settling next to him under the covers. He awoke for a moment, blinking groggily at her. His smile was soft and he pulled her close. He mumbled something into her hair that she did not catch and went back to sleep. She breathed him in, relishing the intimacy of their nude bodies. She will head back to the manor later tonight. She will message Klein and her mother.

This right here, the hour or so of extra rest with him, was more important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the smut and thank you for reading! Side note, I will be going on vacation for two weeks so I will not be posting anything up. 
> 
> @ Haley_HI Haha Honestly, I miss the smut, too!
> 
> @ Theresivy Me too! I just wish I have more reference materials to base Winter off of. Come on CRWBY!
> 
> @ highwind91 Klein is basically their father. He will fight to protect the kids and all the kids love him more than Jacque Needs-to-be-Pushed-into-Dirt Schnee. ;A; Me too! I crave Winter content! And Qrowin content. haha
> 
> @ Akira_0 Sorry! Haha I am petty. If I die. You die, too. It's how I operate in fandoms. :3c Hope you enjoyed this chapter, too!
> 
> Sneak Peek of the next chapter also known as Drama City and punching people in the face - focusing on my emotions:
> 
> “Someone took a photo of us leaving your hotel room last time you were here. Your face was not shown, but everyone is trying to figure out who is the ‘mysterious man courting Atlas’ most eligible bachelorette,’” she said, feeling his arms tightened around her. “He was upset. My father and his have arranged a marriage between us. I told him it will never happen and he -”
> 
> “Threw a temper tantrum.”
> 
> “Yes.”
> 
> “You think he’s tattling on you to his daddy?”
> 
> “No,” she said in a hollow voice, “More likely to mine.”


	30. Scandal

“Are you going to behave?”  
  
Qrow looked at Ironwood offended, “I always behave.”  
  
“He means are you going to keep your hands to yourself instead of on Miss Schnee,” Glynda specified.  
  
“Oh, no guarantees."  
  
“Qrow-” Ironwood was cut off by Ozpin.  
  
“Now. Now. Let’s not start anything in the elevator.”  
  
Glynda rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, “or at the party.”

“Or have a repeat of last time.”

“It was a kiss. Stop acting like I was groped her,” Qrow glared at them.

“It is still a sight a headmaster doesn’t want to see,” Ironwood shot back with a frown.

“Or a prude.”

“I heard there will be live entertainment,” Ozpin injected with a smooth smile.

“Just…don't make a scene and don’t do it in front of her father,” Ironwood warned Qrow. He was still begrudgingly accepting the relationship that was developing between Qrow and Winter since the last time they were all in the same room and Qrow kissed her in front of them all. Albeit, it was a kiss on the cheek but the cocky grin Qrow sported was enough for Ironwood to reach for his gun.

“Eh, I’ll think about it,” Qrow said.  
  
The elevator doors opened and they exited it to enter the lobby of another Atlas party. Ironwood gave their invitation to the doorman who opened the grand doors for them. All in formal attire, they blended right in with the elite of Atlas. It was opulent as always; chandeliers hang from the ceiling, women in long gowns and men in suits, servers walking around with trays of drinks and food, and large bouquets showcasing Atlas national flower were littered around.  
  
Qrow sighed, hating these kinds of events and waved Ironwood and the others off as he made way to the bar, searching for Winter as he did. He caught sight of Weiss, she was smiling at children that were around her age. Her brother, Whitely was next to her.  
  
So, that meant Winter had to be close.  
  
“Hey,” Qrow got the bar and knocked on the counter, “straight whiskey.”  
  
A woman across the bar caught his attention, and for a moment he thought it was Winter but noticed she was older, possibly a decade or so older than him, and was holding a glass of wine. She wore a conservative black gown and had her hair knotted low behind her head. Qrow looked away, it was almost startling how similar Winter was to her mother.  
  
At least now he knew what his future was going to look like with Winter, and it honestly wasn’t bad at all. Accepting the glass of whiskey set in front of him, he went off to look for Winter again. Circling the room, he saw couples dancing, people talking over glasses of alcohol, and children pacing back and forth in boredom.  
  
Honestly, he was with the kids on that, especially since he hadn't run into Winter yet.  
  
He even saw her father speaking to a stout man with green eyes. He wondered if she even came. Tempted to call her, he slipped out of the party to a hall to look for a place to give her a call. He huffed in amusement, imagining her reaction when he neared a door that was ajar and heard a muffled argument. Curiosity got the better of him and he snuck a look as he passed and stopped immediately.  
  
A man threw a newspaper angrily at the ground, fuming, “What is this? What. Is. This?”

“None of your concern,” Winter answered, cold and uninterested.

“N-none of my concern? None of my concern!? Do you know who I am!?” He was going red in the face now.

“I do not care who you are.”

"Y-you...you," The man was shaking, his smile a little too big now. “What are you doing? Do you plan to ruin all of this for what? For what?! To get back at your father?! Have you even thought this through? What this means?”

“For myself, not entirely. The future is unwritten, you see. However, what I do know with rousing confidence is the one path you and your father so desperately desire never even existed.”

"Careful, Winter, your influence only reaches so far."

"And how far does yours reach?"

His face twisted angrily. “Heiress Brat. How much power do you think you have?”

“Enough to sway Atlas’ elites.”

“So confident. Tell me. Where do you think you going to go then? Hm? Runaway and live as a commoner? Be something that you aren’t?!” He walked away from her, exhaling before going straight back to her. “Your father will hunt you down like a bitch. You know that right?”

“And what will you do?”

“I will drag you by the hair if need be,” he seethed, “and it’ll be so easy to find you. You can’t run from your name. You can’t run from your semblance. Look at you. You don’t even look like an average person. You scream Schnee.” He raged, flicking the long strand of white hair curving down her cheek. “and no… no common man is going to want the fucking responsibility of being with you or dealing with you unless it’s for a good one-time fuck.”  
  
“Is that so?” Winter answer calmly.  
  
He laughed cruelly and threw his leather gloves to the ground as well. “It is, “ he seethed. “No company will hire you. And becoming a huntress? No one will contract you because of who you are. The eldest daughter to the riches fucking dust-trading company in the world. Everyone has their eyes on you. Watching your every single fucking damn move you make!” He grabbed the glass he was drinking from and threw it against the wall. “You’re nothing but a pawn on a fucking chessboard and that’s all you will ever be!”  
  
Winter sighed and serenely placed her hands over her stomach, “This conversation is over. We can revisit it on a different occasion once you are less emotional.”  
  
“Like hell. I’ve planned and worked far too damn long to have you, a fucking heiress brat that doesn’t know her place in this society, defy me! But that’s all you do, isn’t Winter? Doing as you please,” the man snarled, grabbing her arm when she went to walk away again and pushed her into a wall, his other hand seizing her neck. “You useless-”  
  
Winter blinked, controlling her breathing as she made out the lines of Qrow’s back. He stood in front of her, blocking her from Charles Lapis who cradled his jaw. “Touch her again; I'm breaking your hand,” Qrow spoke clearly, his own wrath burning in his tone.  
  
Charles looked up, sizing Qrow, and let out a loud curt laugh. “Is it him?” He asked Winter.  
  
“Don’t talk to her.” Qrow pushed Winter behind him.  
  
“Who the fuck are you to talk to me like that you Vacuo dog?!” Charles yelled and looked over to Winter, “Are you giving everything up because of him!? Of some mere soldier!?”  
  
“Listen you-” Qrow was cut off when Charles punched him.  
  
“Does your father know about him?” Charles asked Winter, seeing the thin hairline fracture of panic that cracked across her face, “Oh, Winter.” Charles took a step towards her when Qrow threw another punch.   
  
Soon, Charles tackled him and they both ended on the floor. However, Qrow easily shoved Charles onto his back and punched the heir of the Lapis Energy Company a total of three times before Winter’s hand touched his shoulder, stopping him. Qrow let her pull him up off the heir and followed her out of the room, his hand in hers. His blood coursing as they took the stairs down and left the building.  
  
Winter only spoke to ask where he was staying.  
  
They arrived minutes later to the Powder Ivy Hotel and went up to his room. On the way up, he finally evened out his breathing, cooling his temper, and looked over at Winter. She had specks of blood on her cheek and he panicked, thinking she got hurt when he realized it wasn't her blood. He looked at her hand and saw some blood was there, too, before looking at his own hands, seeing blood there, as well.  
  
The elevator dinged and he led them to his room.  
  
Winter entered first, pushing him towards the couch as she went to grab towels and a first aid kit both of them knew he didn’t really need. Still, she brought it with her and wiped his hand of the blood; cleaned the specks that colored his neck and face. She put some alcohol on a cotton swab and went to clean the only cut he had on his face, nothing overly large or life threating, but she cleaned it nevertheless.  
  
She suddenly stopped.  
  
“Winter?”

Droplets of warm water fell onto his hand and Qrow opened his eyes, stunned at the silent stream of tears that ran down her cheeks. Never seeing her cry, he battled trying to figure out what to say or do, how to comfort her. She stepped back and apologized in a small voice; ready to turn away and leave the room when he stood up and grabbed her hand, gentle and comforting.

“Hey. Look at me. Look at me, Winter.”

Her eyes were red now, tears falling endlessly and her mouth trembling with the desire to sob. “It is better we do not-”

“No, it’s not,” Qrow countered before she could finish. He embraced her tightly. “You’re worth it. Didn’t I already say that? Have some confidence in me.” He kissed her temple, “Especially against a rich, pretty boy.”

“Qrow-”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” she returned his hug weakly.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, “And you?”

“I’m good. Yang hits harder than him,” he smiled when he heard her watery snort.

“He’s the same guy from last time, right?”

“Yes.”

“Charles fucking Lapis.”

“Qrow,” she warned.

“What? I just want to remember his stupid name and stupid face so I can give him one more punch on your behalf.” He teased, “Must be annoying not being able to hit him.”

“You have no idea,” Winter blurt out, irritated.

“What set him off anyways?”

“It seems I am in the middle of a scandal.”

“What?”

“Someone took a photo of us leaving your hotel room last time you were here. Your face was not shown, but everyone is trying to figure out who is the ‘mysterious man courting Atlas’ most eligible bachelorette,’” she said, feeling his arms tightened around her. “He was upset and-”

“Threw a temper tantrum.”

“Yes.”

“You think he’s tattling on you to his daddy?”

“No,” she said in a hollow voice, “More likely to mine.”

Qrow held her closer, wondering not for the first time how he could protect her from the man that fathered her, from the legacy that was interwoven in her name. The fine line of maneuvering to free her from Jacques’ grip was maddening. Qrow was used to slicing through grimms, beating or tricking answers out of people, stealing information he needed and cheating people to survive.

But that balance she had to take to protect not only herself from her father, but her younger siblings and mother was difficult and he felt useless to her. As good it felt to beat Charles Lapis, he knew as she did that he only caused her trouble and an unknown punishment.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“All will be well. It is now or never.”

“Stay with me.”

“I cannot.”

“I don’t want you to go back.”

“I have to.”

“I want to see you later tonight, then.”

“If we are caught, it will only make matters worst. It is fine.”

“It’s not.”

“I know.”

Qrow’s stomach knotted, worried what will happen to her once she goes back to the Manor. “You should just run off with me.”

“And go where?”

“Anywhere you like. Hell, we can even return to Row.”

She laughed weakly, “It will be inappropriate.”

“But fun. We’ll elope and consummate the marriage, which I don’t mind doing more than once to make sure it’s consummated and done.” His fingers tapped against her, and he smiled at her frown and blush on her cheeks. “Stay with me. I love you.”

She shut her eyes, wondering how easy it seemed for him to say those words to her. “You are a fool.”

“I’m also responsible for that scandal. I am the mysterious man, after all,” he joked lightly, brushing the tears from her cheeks.

Winter huffed, “what makes you think I do not have others flaunting themselves at me?”

“Because you would’ve told them to get lost since you got me.”

“Your arrogance never ceases to amaze me.”

“Winter.”

“Yes?”

“Please…just stay with me.”

“I am trying.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little angst. Anyways, I wanted to get this out since it's been sitting in my drafts a month now. Sorry. 
> 
> @ Haley_HI Thank you! I really enjoy Lightweight!Winter, too! Also, thank you for the warm wishes regarding my trip! I went to Japan and had tons of food and bought tons of stationary stuff. Bad news. I'm broke until I'm 120 years old. Haha
> 
> @ Cerseiii Truth time. I literally have no creativity and googled Winter in different languages. Haha Thank you for reading. 
> 
> @ Theresivy I sometimes image them fighting each other on who loves the other person more. Winter usually wins though. Haha Thank you for your kind comment and reading. I also hope you had a nice trip with your family! 
> 
> @hannatea Oh, gosh. I hope you can and continue to read and enjoy the story. Thank you!
> 
> @ highwind91 Qrow's semblance I mean...it kind of did and kind of didn't? It gets a little worst. Then a little better. Then it all goes to hell and we have Vol 3. fight scene. 
> 
> @ Akira_0 Winter can't beat rich kids because she and her siblings will get in trouble. But, that does not mean she hasn't image punching them all before. Literally. Winter will say no but nods yes and then begrudgingly says yes. haha Thank you for reading. More tea will be spilled in the next chapter. 
> 
> Sneak Peek (Trigger Warning Child Abuse and Spouse Abuse):
> 
> Jacque stood before Winter, his suit still pristine from the party, and he back-handed her across the face. “You pathetic, horrid, insolent child!” he snarled, grabbing Willow from her arm when she threw herself in front of Winter and shoving her away, “Listen to me, and listen to me well, Winter Schnee.”
> 
> “No! Jacque!” Willow grabbed onto Jacque’s forearm, his fingers tight around Winter’s neck, “Let her go! Jacque!”
> 
> “You are my daughter, my legacy, and I will do with you as I please.” He slammed Winter against the wall.


End file.
